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Michael Vick’s name immediately popped up as a potential Virginia Tech coaching candidate after the Hokies fired Brent Pry following an 0-3 start. The Norfolk State coach — whose iconic No. 7 jersey hangs in the rafters in Blacksburg — addressed the speculation with the poise of a seasoned coaching veteran.
“This team’s got to follow my lead,” Vick told HBCU Gameday. “My primary focus right now is Norfolk State. That’s all we can focus on. I hope they’re not reading the newspaper clippings or looking into what’s happening on the social pages, because I don’t do it. We’ve got Sacred Heart this week. That’s the most important thing in our lives right now.”
Vick is widely considered the greatest athlete in Virginia Tech history. He led the Hokies to a perfect regular season and national championship appearance as a redshirt freshman in 1999, finishing third in Heisman voting that year.
Despite having no coaching experience before this season, Vick’s connection to his alma mater makes him an intriguing candidate.
He’s currently 1-2 at Norfolk State after taking a 50-point beating from Rutgers last Saturday.
CBS Sports has reported through sources that Vick would be willing to listen if Virginia Tech calls, considering it’s a “special place” for him. South Carolina’s Shane Beamer is also reportedly on the Hokies’ initial list of candidates.
Vick’s journey from Virginia Tech superstar to potential head coach has been anything but straightforward. After leaving Blacksburg as a redshirt sophomore, the Atlanta Falcons selected him first overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. His playing career was derailed when he served 21 months in federal prison on dogfighting charges.
Comeback Story
The dynamic quarterback rebuilt his career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2010, winning NFL Comeback Player of the Year before finishing his playing days with the Jets and Steelers. He retired in 2015 and was inducted into Virginia Tech’s Sports Hall of Fame two years later.
Before jumping into coaching at Norfolk State in December 2024, Vick worked as an NFL analyst. His lack of coaching experience hasn’t stopped speculation about a potential return to Blacksburg.
The Hokies’ coaching search comes after Pry’s tenure ended with a thud. Virginia Tech dropped to 16-24 under his leadership following a particularly embarrassing home loss to Old Dominion — just one week after surrendering 34 unanswered points to Vanderbilt.
“Unfortunately, the results on the field were not acceptable and a change in leadership is necessary,” Virginia Tech president Tim Sands said in a statement. “Philip Montgomery will serve as interim head coach. We will continue to fully support our team and student-athletes for the remaining games as we strive together to significantly improve the trajectory of our football program this season.”
Pry entered this season on the hot seat after back-to-back 6-6 regular seasons. After losing the opener to Beamer’s South Carolina squad, the Hokies faced must-win games against Vanderbilt and Old Dominion — and failed both tests spectacularly.
Per his contract, Pry is owed 70% of his remaining base salary (except for the final year, where he’d receive just 50%).
Virginia Tech AD Whit Babcock will help with the coaching search, but only in a supportive role.
If Vick does end up returning to Blacksburg as head coach, it would complete one of college football’s most remarkable comeback stories — from program legend to potential program savior.
