Before Norfolk State starts its MEAC slate of games, Michael Vick confirmed that he made changes to his coaching staff. Vick confirmed the rumors during Monday's MEAC Coaches Call.
“We obviously, in this game, have to look for opportunities to grow and get better and put our players in the best situation possible, and my job as a coach is to figure that out,” Vick said.
Although he confirmed the staff shakeup, he didn't confirm which coaches were let go.
“There were just changes,” Coach Vick said. “My job as head coach is to put our players in the best situation possible. If that means making adjustments, that’s what I'll do.”
Rumors of the staff shakeup started to swirl after their loss to previously winless Wofford. Per Scottay of Offscript, who broke the story of Vick being hired by Norfolk State last December, the former NFL star made three key staff changes.
Scottay's post indicated that Terence Garvin will be on his way out after the Spartans have had a struggling defensive front. Norfolk State ranks last in the conference in total defense, giving up 34.1 points per game, 229.4 passing yards per game, and 197.1 rushing yards per game.
Norfolk State has struggled immensely to start the season. Their lone win comes from their overtime victory of Division II rival Virginia State, in which the Trojans missed an end-of-regulation field goal that would've sealed their victory.
A lot of the season was characterized by the quarterback battle between longtime Spartan QB Otto Khuns and USF transfer Israel Carter. Carter struggled at the start of the season, prompting Vick to put in Khuns to lead the offense. Khuns being QB1 was the right decision, as he's had a solid season despite Norfolk State's 1-6 record. He's accumulated 1,355 passing yards and 8 touchdowns in the games he's played this season, including a 340-yard effort against Sacred Heart.
Norfolk State hosts South Carolina State on Saturday at 2 PM EST. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
