The Michael Vick era at Norfolk State has gotten off to a rocky start, with the team sitting at 1-4 heading into this week. They've dropped what were considered winnable games against Sacred Heart and Wagner in recent weeks. A quarterback battle still appears to be ongoing, as Otto Kunz and Israel Carter have shared the field in four of the five games this season.
Despite the early struggles, Michael Vick remains optimistic. He views these initial games not as a determinant of their future success, but as an opportunity to assess his program before they enter conference play.
“We don’t get a preseason in college football. These first five games have given us a chance to see what our guys can really do,” Vick said in his weekly coaches' press conference. “This is another week to get better, another week to learn how good we really are.”
Vick is now preparing for a matchup that hits close to home: The Battle of the Bay. This is one of the most storied rivalries in HBCU football, pitting cross-town rivals Norfolk State and Hampton University against each other. The series began in 1963, and Norfolk State currently holds the all-time lead, 30-28-1.
Last season, Hampton got the better of the rivalry, beating the then-Dawson Odums-led Spartans 37-7. Vick, however, looks to prove that despite his team's struggles, he can win the rivalry games that are always so important to the fan base, as he did with his first coaching victory against Virginia State last month.
The Hampton game carries a deeper significance for Vick beyond just his first time coaching in the rivalry. It also involves familial ties. Vick’s wife, Kijafa Vick, is a Hampton University alumna who earned a degree in marketing. Ms. Vick has enjoyed a storied career in media as a TV producer and entrepreneur, and she has made her fandom for her alma mater known to Michael as the game nears.
“She's got this tee-short she keeps flagging in my face and is like ‘you'll be wearing this,'” Vick said in his coaches press conference. “But at heart she really doesn't want me to wear it.”
Heading into this game, Hampton is also looking to get on track, as the Pirates are also 1-4 to start the season. They lost their opener to Jackson State after a promising start and then struggled to beat Elizabeth City State in Week 2. Following that, they dropped a thrilling double-overtime game to North Carolina A&T, losing 33-30, and were then bested by rival Howard University, 34-7, in the Truth and Service Classic.
This matchup is Norfolk State's last HBCU game of the season before they fully transition into CAA conference play, so they will certainly be looking to secure a victory. The Battle of the Bay is set to kick off on Saturday at 4 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on FloCollege.
