NORFOLK, Va. – Michael Vick’s Norfolk State head coaching debut brought an excited crowd to the stands of William “Dick” Price Stadium on Thursday, but revealed growing pains on the field.
Fans wearing Spartans green and gold and an array of Vick’s NFL jerseys packed the team’s season opener against Towson. However, the Spartans’ 27-7 loss highlighted areas they – and Vick – will need to improve.
“We could have done a lot of things better [and] certainly shot ourselves in the foot in a lot of situations. … So, it’s a lot of areas we got to get better in,” Vick said. “It’s the first game, and we’ve got to find a way to make the corrections.”
Vick acknowledged his debut was as much about gaining experience as it was about the final score. He said the transition from NFL quarterback to collegiate head coach felt natural. Although he admitted to having jitters at the beginning, he said coaching in the season opener allowed him to get a feel for the game’s flow.
“Now we know where we gotta get better, and now we’ve got areas to focus on,” Vick said. “That’s what football is all about. … The one thing I just told the guys, [it’s] not where we start, it’s where we finish.”
South Florida transfer Israel Carter entered the game as Norfolk State’s starting quarterback but was benched in the second quarter after three drives yielded only 21 passing yards. Redshirt senior quarterback Otto Kuhns was given the opportunity to run the offense and didn’t disappoint, finishing the game 19-of-27 for 219 passing yards.
“I thought Otto played great. He’s a veteran quarterback who understands the game,” Vick said. “We’ve got two quarterbacks that we can be able to win with moving forward.”
Despite using both quarterbacks in the opener, Vick made it clear that Carter will remain the starter for the next game and emphasized that the job is still his to lose. Vick said he was proud of the defense’s effort and is focused on bringing the offense to the same level.
Norfolk announced that over 19,000 fans, including NBA legend Allen Iverson, were in attendance. While Vick said he appreciated the community support and game day atmosphere, he and the coaching staff want to win games to give fans something to cheer about.
“[We] keep that championship mindset,” Vick said. “We’re not going to lose sight of what has to happen moving forward. We’re going to own it, accept it, and keep pushing. So I’m proud of the guys. I’m proud of the way they battled, but certainly a little disappointed knowing we could’ve done a little more.”
– The loss emphasized Norfolk State’s deficiencies in two out of three phases of the game. The Spartans executed on the defensive side of the ball only, while the offense and special teams faltered.
– Kuhns’ dual-threat ability and shiftiness make him the ideal starter. He revived Norfolk State’s stagnant offense by opening up running lanes for the running backs and extending broken plays with his legs. His deep throws also gave the team positive yardage downfield. Though he didn’t enter the game as the starter, he did enough to be strongly considered for the starting job moving forward.
– Several mistakes on special teams strained Norfolk State’s offense. In the first quarter, a holding penalty negated a 60-yard return. In the second quarter, a high snap resulted in a blocked field goal attempt. Later in the game, the Spartans’ decision not to field two punts cost them their field position, backing them up in their own territory.
– Despite allowing 27 points, the defense solidified itself as the team’s strongest unit. After giving up a touchdown on the opening drive, the defense held Towson to two field goals to end the first half and didn’t allow another score until the fourth quarter. The defensive line was disruptive in the backfield with defensive end David Ojiegbe (2.5 tackles for loss) leading the way.
Norfolk State will face HBCU rival Virginia State on Sept. 6 with hopes of earning Vick’s first program win as a head coach. Here are areas the Spartans need to work on ahead of their second game of the season.
Clean up penalties: The Spartans finished with a game-high nine penalties for 78 yards. Norfolk State needs to minimize unforced penalties; penalties wiped away a Spartans touchdown and extended several drives for Towson.
Establish the run game: In fall camp, Vick preached the importance of winning in the trenches and called on his offensive line to set the tone. Norfolk State had only 39 yards on the ground despite 31 rushing attempts. With running back Kevon King, a preseason All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference first-team selection on the roster, the Spartans need to establish the run game early to give their offense ample opportunity to score.
Force takeaways: Aside from stopping the run and forcing sacks, the only Achilles’ heel on the Spartans’ defense was its inability to secure an interception. The defense tipped and batted down a couple of passes but couldn’t fully make a takeaway. Securing interceptions will give Norfolk State’s offense more opportunities to score.
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