Vick demands accountability as Norfolk State targets respect after 1-11 season

“Earn respect one play at a time” was Michael Vick’s standard for Norfolk State’s spring game, and he made clear there was “no sugarcoating the record” after a 1-11 season that left the Spartans with far more work than slogans can fix.

The first real look at Vick’s second Norfolk State team came Saturday at William “Dick” Price Stadium, where the Green & Gold Spring Game capped the spring practice slate and gave fans their first game-like glimpse of the 2026 roster under the second-year head coach. Tickets were sold online in advance for $10, and none were available at the gate, a sign that the program wanted the event to feel like a controlled dress rehearsal rather than a casual exhibition.

That context matters because Norfolk State’s 2025 numbers were hard to ignore. The Spartans went 1-11 overall and 0-5 in the MEAC, scored 251 points, and averaged 20.9 points per game, which ranked last in the conference. The offense finished with 362.0 total yards per game, including 218.2 through the air and 143.8 on the ground. The defense, meanwhile, allowed 424.7 yards and 35.6 points per game. Norfolk State also ended the season on a 10-game losing streak, and six of its 11 losses came by one score, a reminder that almost competitive was not enough.

That was the burden hanging over the spring game, where reports said Vick encouraged full contact and live quarterback reps. The tone was physical and high-energy, but the offense still gave away three turnovers, including two pick-six touchdowns. Those are the kind of mistakes Vick has to erase if Norfolk State is going to turn narrow defeats into actual wins and prove it belongs in the top half of the MEAC instead of chasing respect from the bottom.

Vick, hired as Norfolk State’s 19th head coach on Dec. 20, 2024, said he felt the team had a renewed sense of urgency and determination, and that he was more prepared for spring game No. 2 after a full year on the job. The spring has been about accountability and growth, but the test now is whether the Spartans can show cleaner line play, better discipline, and enough depth to make the coach’s name mean something beyond attention. Respect in this rebuild will not come from the brand around Vick. It will come from Norfolk State finishing drives, protecting the football, and turning close games into results.