In Michael Vick's first season at Norfolk State, his Spartans went 1-11. Now, Vick looks ahead, detailing a four-phase plan to make his team a contender in the MEAC in a recent interview with Kyle T. Moseley of HBCU Legends. Vick has been making the rounds over the past couple of months promoting his BET docuseries The Coach Vick Experience. The show chronicles his first year as a college coach and the struggles and triumphs that came with it.
The series gave a deeper look at the team during the turbulent stretch, including the firing of his defensive coordinator, Terrence Calvin, and two other defensive assistants in Episode 5. Now, with the first season of his tenure under his belt, Vick unveils the four-phase plan that will lead him and the team into year two.
The tenets of the plan, per his comments to HBCU Legends is:
- Phase 1, Strength and Conditioning
- Phase 2, Spring Ball
- Phase 3, Summer maintenance and Football Installation
- Phase 4, The Fall Season
“We have to go through a gauntlet of steps to get to the position where we have to dethrone the champions,” Vick told Mosley. “We just can't look too far down the road. I will show our team the schedule today so they can see that there's light at the end of the tunnel. So keep working your butts off.”
Vick assumed the role of head coach of Norfolk State in December 2024. He was tasked with building a team as National Signing Day approached in February. Now, he plans to use the experience he's gained to properly set up a clear path to success for his team in the 2026 season.
The Spartans start the season with a matchup against former Norfolk State assistant Tory Woodbury and his Winston-Salem State Rams on August 29th.
