Marcus Vick
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Marcus Vick | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | March 20, 1984 |
| Place of birth | Newport News, Virginia |
| Position(s) | Quarterback Wide receiver |
| College | Virginia Tech |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 2006-present | Miami Dolphins |
Marcus Deon Vick (born March 20, 1984 in Newport News, Virginia) is an American football player on the National Football League's Miami Dolphins. He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies. He is the younger brother of former Virginia Tech quarterback and current Atlanta Falcons star quarterback Michael Vick, and second cousin of Oakland Raiders quarterback Aaron Brooks.
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[edit] High school career
Like his older brother Michael, Marcus Vick attended Warwick High School in Newport News, Virginia. At Warwick he was coached by legendary high school football coach Tommy Reamon, who was instrumental in the devlopment of future NFL quarterbacks Aaron Brooks and Marcus' brother, Michael. Marcus Vick was an immediate star for Reamon, compiling over 5,000 yards of total offense during his final two seasons, passing for 1,746 yards and 15 touchdowns and 702 yards and 13 TDs rushing as senior. Vick would go on to earn prep All-America honors from SuperPrep, PrepStar and Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report. Entering his senior year he was rated as the No. 6 quarterback in the nation by SuperPrep, No. 10 QB by PrepStar and ranked as the No. 7 combination (running/passing) quarterback by Tom Lemming. Vick would additionally earn second-team Group AAA all-state honors from the Associated Press.
[edit] Recruitment and decision to attend Virginia Tech
Heading into his senior year Marcus Vick was one of the country's top quarterback prospects. Although his brother had taken Virginia Tech within one game of a national championship and despite Michael's close relationship with Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, Marcus did not seem sold on attending Tech. The Universities of Virginia, Tennessee, and Miami all had scholarship offers on the table and after taking a trip with Reamon to the Atlanta Falcons training camp, even Michael was not convinced that Tech was the best option for his brother. By September, it was clear that Marcus was considering several schools, mostly because of concerns about the Hokies' scheme and its ability to prepare him for the NFL. It wasn't that Tech didn't have a great program - in Marcus' opinion - but that those other schools, like Miami had a better track record in producing NFL quarterbacks because of the style of play.
[edit] Virginia Tech career
While Vick arrived at Tech with great fanfare he did not in fact play as a true freshman. Beamer redshirted the freshman. In his college career at Virginia Tech, he primarily played quarterback, but also ran plays at wide receiver, in three games during the 2003 season.
[edit] 2002 season
Redshirted but was a member of the dress squad for every game. Ran a 4.48 forty and posted a 36-inch vertical jump during spring max testing. Threw five touchdown passes during spring scrimmages and added another in the Maroon-White game. Was 6-for-7 passing for 95 yards and one TD during one scrimmage. Turned in a 57-yard run in another scrimmage. Hit 10-of-15 passes for 92 yards and a TD in the Maroon-White game. Earned the Paul Torgersen Award for the top offensive newcomer.
[edit] 2003 season
In 2003, Vick played in eleven games, splitting time with Bryan Randall. The highlight of Vick's season came during a 31-7 upset win over #2 Miami. Despite completing only one pass, Vick's exceptional running ability and the outstanding play of Tech's defense contributed to one of the biggest wins in Tech's history. In Virginia Tech's loss in the Insight Bowl to California, Vick racked up 82 receiving yards, including one touchdown reception. [1]
[edit] 2004 season
Prior to the 2004 collegiate season, Vick was arrested and ultimately convicted for providing hardcore porno to three underage girls who "claimed" to be college students. In a subsequent incident, Vick was charged with reckless driving and possession of marijuana. He was suspended from the university for the fall semester of 2004. Vick was reinstated to the school and the football team under specific guidelines that warranted immediate dismissal from the team for further transgressions.
[edit] 2005 season
Head Coach Frank Beamer initially announced that Vick would enter the 2005 season as the team's third-string quarterback, but he quickly won the starting role after impressive spring practices and scrimmages. All in all it was Vick's most successful season which saw the Hokies contending for a national championship and culminating in an impressive 11-2 record, an ACC Coastal Division title, an appearance in the inaugural ACC Championship Game in the 2005 season, and a win in the 2006 Gator Bowl.
[edit] Controversy in Morgantown
The 2005 season, however, saw more controversy surrounding Vick. On October 1, 2005, Vick angered fans and press in Morgantown with a display of his middle finger to the crowd during the game at West Virginia University. Vick later apologized and made no further comments.
[edit] Gator Bowl Stomp
Vick once again courted controversy on January 2, 2006, when he intentionally stomped on the leg of Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil with a cleated foot during the 2006 Gator Bowl. Following the game Vick claimed the stomping was accidental and asserted he apologized to Dumervil after the game. Dumervil and Louisville coaches said that Vick didn't even talk to Dumervil after the game. Virginia Tech Athletic Director Jim Weaver issued a statement from the university on the incident:
"The unsportsmanlike conduct of quarterback Marcus Vick in yesterday's Gator Bowl game against Louisville is unacceptable behavior and contrary to the Hokies Respect Campaign. Such on-field action is not reflective of Virginia Tech football nor of the values we hold at Virginia Tech. I and my colleagues in central administration are embarrassed and this athletic administration will not condone such acts of unsportsmanlike conduct. We will review and assess this incident further and deal with it accordingly."
[edit] Dismissal from Virginia Tech, legal troubles back home
After an additional report four days later revealed that Vick was cited on December 17, 2005 for a misdemeanor charge of driving on a suspended or revoked license[2], Virginia Tech announced his permanent dismissal from its football program "due to a cumulative effect of legal infractions and unsportsmanlike play."[3] In response to being thrown off the team, Vick has been quoted as saying, "It's not a big deal. I'll just move on to the next level, baby."[4]
Vick declared his eligibility for the NFL draft on January 7, 2006. Two days later he was charged with three counts of brandishing a firearm, a Class One misdemeanor [5], in Suffolk, Virginia. A police report stated that he allegedly pointed a gun at a 17-year-old and at least two of his friends in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant in the 62-hundred block of Town Point Road in Suffolk. It has been reported that Vick approached the group of teenagers after his girlfriend told him that someone from the group had made disparaging remarks towards her. [6] Vick claimed that the "gun" in question was actually a BlackBerry cell phone that was mistaken for a gun and that his accusers were trying to blackmail him. [7] Marcus Vick was convicted and received a six month suspended sentence for this incident. [8]
In 24 career games at Virginia Tech, Vick threw for 2,868 yards, 19 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while also running 184 times for 492 yards and six touchdowns.
In the 2006 NFL draft, Vick went undrafted. Many of the NFL's scouts questioned his attitude and his ability to avoid future troubles on and off the field. However, Vick was signed as a free agent, for league minimum pay, by the Miami Dolphins.
[edit] NFL career
Before the 2006 NFL Draft, he told ESPN's Michael Smith that he considered himself a better quarterback than both Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler. [9] Despite pre-draft speculation that Vick could go as high as the third round, he went undrafted, becoming an unrestricted free agent who could sign a contract with any team. Vick attended a Miami Dolphins rookie free agent minicamp after the draft, and was subsequently signed[10] to a free agent contract as a "wide receiver/quarterback/specialist". He was released on September 2, 2006 to reach the Dolphins' regular-season limit, but was re-signed to the practice squad on September 4. He wears number 16. On October 17, 2006 the Miami Dolphins signed Marcus as a Wide Receiver/Kick Returner/Quarterback. He was signed from the practice squad to the active roster for the team's Week 7 game versus the Green Bay Packers. He was listed as the No. 3 "emergency" quarterback on the depth chart but never saw action
[edit] External links
- http://www.hokiesports.com/football/players/2005/vick.html - Official Virginia Tech bio
[edit] References
- ^ Marcus Vick's profile. Retrieved on 2006-07-01.
- ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/06/AR2006010601017.html
- ^ http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/2006016aaa.html
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls05/news/story?id=2282642
- ^ http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+18.2-282
- ^ http://www.wtkr.com/Global/story.asp?S=4347435&nav=ZolHbyvj
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft06/columns/story?columnist=smith_michael&id=2345068&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1
- ^ http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-dolphins15aug15,0,1624631.story?coll=sfla-sports-front
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft06/columns/story?columnist=smith_michael&id=2427759
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/dolphins/2006-05-15-vick-signed_x.htm
