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In an interview with Marshawn Lynch on his Get Got Podcast, Michael Vick laid out his approach to the ever-changing NIL landscape as he begins his tenure as Norfolk State's head football coach. Vick acknowledges that they can't compete with big schools when it comes to NIL money. He tells his players that he understands if they decide to leave for a larger school offering them an NIL deal.
“I’m taking the embrace it approach. I know you’re going to have options if you do what you got to do. You go win the MEAC and you make First Team and Clemson comes calling and they offering you some money. I can’t tell you no. They’re offering you some bread. I can't do that. The only thing I can do is match. The only thing we can do is get in the game.”
Vick's approach is sensible given the landscape of college athletics. The Power Five conferences are in an arms race to stay competitive in an always-changing football landscape and have often looked at the other divisions in the football landscape to scout standout talent. The MEAC has seen this in basketball, as several star players have entered the transfer portal after successful seasons.
Vick emphasizes that he doesn't want to be selfish in his approach to these matters.
“I would be like selfish man, that’s selfish. I've told a couple of them that, and they’ll be like, ‘Nah coach I want to be with you the whole time,' and I’m like, ‘Alright. Well, when somebody comes and calls you, they get $700,000. Let me see if you want that.'”
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Many programs in the HBCU sports landscape, as well as smaller schools outside of it, are seeing their players recruited by larger programs. With the new transfer rules, it’s becoming like a farm system, where big schools can easily take top players from smaller schools. But, some institutions such as Norfolk State are looking to fight back and make sure that they're putting themselves in the best position to take advantage of the NIL System.
Even before Michael Vick was hired, Norfolk State made their entry into the NIL game. In September, Norfolk State Athletics launched the Gold Standard Collective, which serves as the official Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collective for Spartan student-athletes. The collective is powred by Student Athlete NIL (SANIL) and looks to provide student-athletes with resources and support as they build their personal brands in the evolving NIL era of college athletics.
The Gold Standard Collective, while not officially affiliated with Norfolk State, allows Spartan student-athletes to have resources to benefit from NIL rules, allowing them to monetize their likeness and further capitalize on their earning potential as they compete. Vick even did a video promoting the NIL collective.
“I want to invite all of you to GoldStandardCollective.com,” Vick said in the video and also in a statement on the website. “Make sure you support NSU and support our program. We appreciate you a great deal!”
Michael Vick's approach to NIL during his first season with the program makes sense given the current landscape. It will be interesting to see how he manages it moving forward with the Spartans.
