Michael Vick falls in college football coaching debut as Norfolk State suffers ugly loss to Towson

Michael Vick’s offensive explosiveness as a player has not carried over to coaching just yet. 

On Thursday, the former NFL superstar coached his first game as the head coach of Norfolk State University in Virginia, losing at home to Towson, 27-7. The Spartans did not score until the fourth quarter and totaled just 39 yards rushing on 31 attempts. Norfolk State did not turn the ball over, but nine penalties for 78 yards ruined drive after drive. Vick’s team finished just three for 13 on third down.

Vick, one of the most exciting football players in history during his time at Virginia Tech and in the NFL, and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, entered this job with limited coaching experience. He was named the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Legends in the Alliance of American Football in 2019 but resigned before coaching a game due to other commitments. He ended up serving as an adviser for the organization for one season. 

The former No. 1 NFL Draft pick’s hire was the latest in a trend of college programs hiring candidates with no collegiate coaching experience. North Carolina stunned the college football world last week by hiring Bill Belichick — regarded as arguably the best coach in NFL history — to replace Mack Brown. Belichick has never coached at the college level and spent his entire career in the NFL.

UAB hired Trent Dilfer in 2023 after his only coaching experience came at the high school level. Tennessee State named former Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George as its coach in 2021. Perhaps the most notable hire came in 2020, when Jackson State brought in current Colorado coach Deion Sanders to run its program.

The Spartans, an FCS team that plays in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, finished last season 4-8. Norfolk State will face Virginia State next on Saturday, Sept. 6.