Episode 2 of The Coach Vick Experience, chronicling Michael Vick's time at Norfolk State, was really fast-paced. It's a different experience from the first episode, which was more artful in how the narratives were woven together as we led up to the first game against Towson. It seemed as if this episode, from the start on to the postgame moments after the win over Virginia State, was trying to fit a lot into only a few minutes of screen time; things that possibly could have been left out.
While the episode was still entertaining and informative, especially as we look at the quarterback battle, it was bogged down by trying to introduce too many new characters too quickly, rather than focusing on Michael Vick, Otto Khuns, and Israel Carter heading into the huge rivalry game against Virginia State.
From the first few scenes, it's clear that Michael Vick was being stubborn about starting Israel over Otto, and everybody saw that Otto was the clear QB1. It seemed as if Kijafa Vick asked him at breakfast about what he was going to do, and then Marcus Vick started to develop his own assessment of the quarterback battle. We see everything come to a head when the game is actually going on.
Another interesting thing at the start of the episode is that Vick continues to question whether he made the right decision in various ways. I think Vick's level of uncertainty about the path he chose could have affected how he began his coaching journey and possibly the team's success. Although he seems bought in from the standpoint of coaching and development, in his private moments, he still seems unsure.
That level of being unsure is typical for someone embarking on a new journey. Even with Deion Sanders in the Coach Prime series, Deion's level of being unsure was sort of masked by his devout Christian beliefs and his consistent reminder that “God called him,” to lead Jackson State. Vick isn't as outwardly retrospective in a religious sense, which makes his uneasiness about his choice a bit more visible, and that, in itself, is concerning given the results of the season. But as the episodes go on, hopefully Vick rounds into his role and becomes more comfortable in leading this unique set of young men.
But Vick was adamant about making Carter the starter. Even in the scene where Vick realizes that Israel wasn't getting it, he continued to commit to having him under center for the majority of the snaps. Knowing what happened in the Virginia State game that ultimately led to their win, it is still concerning and a bit confusing. Hopefully, we start to see what made Vick change his mind.
One of the highlights of the episode was following Kyree Moyston's journey and his push to earn a scholarship. I think that his story was very touching and moving; he clearly is a very talented player, especially in the way that he stepped up during the game against Towson. It's unfortunate that he injured his toe early in the Virginia State game. I think The Coach Vick Experience is at its best when it's covering the different circumstances and stories of these players.
Still, it's interesting that even at halftime, when Virginia State is up 16-7, Vick was still committed to likely means Israel being the starting quarterback. The faith he has in himself at that moment is very strong, even though there still isn't much he's done to earn that level of trust in his ability to work through errors. Looking at the behind-the-scenes footage, the only reason why Virginia State didn't win is that Otto Khuns eventually came into the game and got the offense going, and Virginia State missed a very makeable field goal that would have ended the game in regulation.
Vick's sole decision to start Carter over Khuns would have left them at 0-2 and prompted much of the Division I world to speculate about Vick's coaching talents. FCS fans and prognosticators believe that it is almost a crime to lose to a Division II football team, no matter how good they are.
Virginia State finished the 2025 season 6-4 (4-3 in conference). Not the best record in Division II, but they still are a very capable team. If you're an FCS school, you're expected to beat Division II programs handily. Vick very well could have been on the wrong side of that and caused a lot of doubt for his coaching tenure before it truly even started.
If you haven't seen the full Norfolk State versus Virginia State game, I urge you to go watch it. The show cut corners in showcasing some of the better moments due to the time crunch and several ad breaks. Otto ultimately led the team to victory, but I was excited to see the sideline reaction when Virginia State missed the game-winning field goal in regulation.
Still, it seems like the drama is just starting. Vick's family was part of the growing chorus of Spartan fans, HBCU alumni, and media prognosticators that made it clear that Otto Khuns should have been the starter all along. It does seem that Otto is dealing with some injury issues heading into the Rutgers game, so things certainly stand to get interesting.
The Coach Vick Experience airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Eastern, 9 p.m. Central, on BET.
