Vick: ‘I’m ​always ​the ​guy ​who ​walked ​by ​faith’

Michael Vick is a legend.

He was a legend at Virginia Tech and a legend in the NFL. He has captivated audiences as a player, and he hopes to do the same as the head coach of Norfolk State. 

On Tuesday, Vick, coaches, and select players attended the MEAC Media Day at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

The 45-year-old says he has learned a lot since being hired last December, including the belief that he can get the job done.

“I ​learned ​that ​I ​could ​do ​it,” Vick said. ​”It’s ​always ​the ​fear ​of ​the unknown, ​the ​things ​that ​you ​don’t ​know, ​the ​things ​that ​you ​step ​into. ​I’m ​always ​the ​guy ​who ​walked ​by ​faith​, and ​so ​players ​certainly ​made ​it ​easy. ​I ​think ​it ​was ​about ​creating ​trust, ​not ​only ​with ​the ​players, ​but ​with ​my ​coaches ​as ​well. ​Seeing ​what’s ​happening, ​understanding ​what ​it ​takes ​on ​a ​day-to-day ​basis ​to ​keep ​the ​team ​functioning ​and ​functioning ​properly. ​So, ​we ​believe ​in ​each ​other. ​We’re ​excited, and ​we’re ​ready ​to ​compete.”

Because Vick is the coach at Norfolk State, this team will receive a lot of attention, which will be new for many players on the roster. However, Vick says his team will be ready.

“​We ​have ​a ​group ​of ​young ​men ​who ​understand ​the ​magnitude ​of the situation, ​but ​they ​are also ​excited ​to ​be ​in ​this ​situation,” Vick said. ​”It’s ​like, ​now ​it’s ​to ​a ​point, ​it’s ​like, ​’yo, ​coach, ​just ​coach… ​It’s ​an ​honor. ​It’s ​a ​privilege ​for ​me ​to ​be ​in their ​presence, ​and ​I ​know ​they ​always ​let ​me ​know ​that ​it’s ​an ​honor ​for ​them ​to ​be ​in ​my ​presence. ​We ​got ​past ​that ​part. ​Now ​we ​are just ​teammates, ​family, ​and ​we ​will ​be ​forever.”

For Vick, one of the things that made the job appealing was its location. The Newport News, Virginia native says that he knows the history of Norfolk State, which was 4-8 last season, and he’s excited to turn things around.

“If ​this ​was ​another ​school ​in ​a ​different ​territory, ​different ​part ​of ​the ​US, ​I ​might ​not ​have ​took ​the ​job,” he said. ​”It ​was ​other ​opportunities ​on ​the ​table, ​by ​this ​being ​in ​my ​backyard, knowing ​the ​history ​of ​Norfolk ​State, ​knowing ​that ​they ​needed ​to ​reset, ​they ​needed ​to ​reboot. ​Doing ​my ​research ​and ​finding ​out ​before ​DreSean(Kendrick) ​got ​there, ​​knowing ​guys ​like ​Kahleef (Jimmison), ​you ​was ​there ​and ​we’re ​committed, ​and ​they ​just ​needed ​structure, ​more ​leadership, ​needed ​some ​change. I looked at it as a challenge.”

Norfolk State was predicted to finish fourth in the MEAC by coaches and sports information directors in the conference, so the turnaround might not happen this year. However, with his name recognition, Vick, like Deion Sanders did at Jackson State, has a chance to improve the roster and create a winning culture at Norfolk State.