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Michael Vick suggests play-call in waning moments of Norfolk State’s dramatic defeat was ignored
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
New video shows Norfolk State players meeting with offensive coordinator Brian Sheppard after the late fumble, while coach Michael Vick says he had instructed the team to use a victory formation. The footage adds context to questions over how the Spartans’ final possession unfolded in their 29–28 defeat by North Carolina Central.
With 1:34 left, North Carolina Central had no timeouts and Norfolk State had the ball. Quarterback Deljay Bailey instead took a shotgun snap, ran left and fumbled; the Eagles recovered, scored to take the lead and missed a two-point conversion. Norfolk State later reached field-goal range but missed a 37-yard attempt.
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In short
- New video shows players meeting with the offensive coordinator after the fumble.
- Vick says he called for victory formation with 1:34 left.
- Norfolk State missed a 37-yard field goal after the Eagles’ comeback.
How this story developed
- 33 minutes ago North Carolina Central beat Norfolk State 29–28 after scoring in the final seconds, turning a late Spartans fumble into a dramatic comeback.
- 35 minutes ago New video shows Norfolk State players meeting with offensive coordinator Brian Sheppard after the late fumble, while coach Michael Vick says he had instructed the team to use a victory formation.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Vick’s account raises a reasonable question about whether the team followed a clear instruction at a decisive moment. With the opposition out of timeouts and Norfolk State holding the ball, a victory formation could have reduced the chance of a fumble and allowed the Spartans to run down the clock. If the call was communicated clearly, examining why a different play was run is important for accountability and future game management.
The case against
The available account does not establish exactly what was communicated on the field or why the shotgun play was chosen. Coaches and players may have had to weigh clock management against execution, field position or the risk of a bad snap, and a victory formation also depends on everyone understanding and carrying it out safely. The fumble was decisive, but one outcome alone cannot show whether the play call reflected a mistake or a breakdown in communication.
Explained simply
Norfolk State and North Carolina Central are university American football teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, a league in the top tier of US college football’s second division. Norfolk State is based in Virginia, while North Carolina Central is in North Carolina.
In American football, a team with a narrow lead can use a victory formation, with the quarterback taking a short snap and going down to run down the clock while limiting the risk of a fumble. Coaches and players share responsibility for getting the play call from the sideline to the field and carrying it out.
The final minutes mattered because Norfolk State had possession and North Carolina Central had no timeouts, so keeping the ball could have left little time for a comeback. Instead, the turnover gave North Carolina Central another chance to score and changed the lead.
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