Michael Vick Reveals Shocking Insights Behind Norfolk State’s Unexpected Week 1 Defeat

Norfolk State kicked off its season with a tough 27-7 loss to Towson University — a game that left more questions than answers, but plenty of lessons to chew on. Michael Vick, stepping into the helm as head coach, laid it all bare in the postgame—and boy, did he offer a candid look behind the scenes. From quarterbacks finding their footing to an offensive line that just couldn’t quite hold the line, the Spartans seemed to shoot themselves in the foot time and again. Yet despite the stumbles, Vick’s message was clear: this is just the opening act of a longer story, with plenty of room to grow. So, what does it take to turn a disappointing start into a triumphant finish? If you ask me, the real game begins now — with grit, heart, and that relentless championship mindset. Curious to dive into the full breakdown and hear Vick’s entire take? LEARN MORE.

Norfolk State lost its season opener to Towson University 27-7, and Vick addressed the media postgame.

“Tonight certainly we could have done a lot of things better. Um, you know, certainly shot ourselves in the foot and a lot of situations. We gave some big players early. Um, found a way to get back into the game, but, um, you know, gave a big third-and-20 third down conversion. I thought that was the turning point in the game, um, battle we fought. Um, but obviously you can’t rush for 39 yards and, and think that you’re going to win a lot of football games. And so it’s a lot of areas we gotta get better in.”

But he remained optimistic, saying, “It’s the first game and we gotta find a way to make the corrections and so we’ll be back to the drawing board tomorrow. But that’s what it’s all about. We gonna keep that championship mindset and we’re not gonna lose sight. Of what has to happen moving forward. We gonna own it, accept it, and uh, keep pushing. So I’m proud of the guys. I’m proud of the way they battled, um, but certainly a little disappointed knowing that they could have done a little bit more.”

Norfolk State faced challenges right from the beginning. Israel Carter, listed as the starting quarterback, struggled to spark the offense and get the team into scoring position. He ended the game with just 21 yards, completing 2 of 4 passes. In the second quarter, returning quarterback Otto Kuhns stepped in to take over.

Kuhns completed 19 of 27 passes for 219 yards but did not record a touchdown. Throughout the game, he frequently had to improvise under defensive pressure, maneuvering in the backfield to find open receivers and spark Norfolk State’s offense.

Vick spoke about the QB situation during the game and answered if the plan was to always play both Carter and Khuns.

“ Yeah, the plan was to try to get some momentum out of both of ’em. I feel like we got two good quarterbacks and, you know, chose the, to ride it out with Otto. Israel will be back in the fold, getting the majority of the snaps and just continue to learn this process. He got thrown in there and did a great job when he had to,” Vick said.

But Vick indicated that he wasn’t pleased with the offensive line play regardless of if Carter or Khuns was in the game.

“ We gotta control the line of scrimmage and be able to run the football in order to win games. And so that’s gotta be the mindset moving forward. And so you know, we’ll work hard this week to correct that and we’ll be right back at it tomorrow.”

Vick reflected on what he learned in his first game at the helm of the Spartans and how he’ll put it into practice moving forward.

“Yeah, I’m definitely happy to have to get the first one out of the way. I got a feel for it. I got a feel for the flow, what to look for, what to watch out for. Now, I can go back and watch film and correct what we need to get better at. I look forward to that process. And I knew it was gonna happen at some point. I would much rather have won on the scoreboard tonight, but now we know what, where we gotta get better and now we got areas to focus on. And so, that’s what football is all about, is about getting better each and every weekend. The one thing I just told the guys is not where we start, is what we finish. And we got some great players in the locker room, and they got pride and so I expect us to bounce back and be a lot better next week.”

Norfolk State hosts rival Virginia State on Saturday at 6 PM EST.

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