Michael Vick recalls his 2000 national championship heroics for Virginia Tech, calls himself "dangerous" in recent interview
Michael Vick made a name for himself in the NFL. He practically changed the position of the quarterback, bringing in more dynamism and athleticism into play. But before that, he became a household name due to his exploits with Virginia Tech in the 2000 national championship.
Vick stayed in the college football world for just two seasons before moving on to the NFL. He recently recalled his time with the Hokies, especially the 2000 season which earned him the first overall status in the 2001 NFL draft. And he gave himself one term for his time with the Hokies - Dangerous.
Here is what Michael Vick said while recalling the 2000 national championship heroics with the Virginia Tech Hokies.
“I was just popping dudes’ ACLs left and right. I was dangerous, really dangerous,” Vick said.
The QB changed the pass centric position to introduce a new type of player on the field, a dual threat quarterback. He not only used his arms to throw the ball, but he also used his legs to gain the yardage wherever he could.
That kept the opposing defenses always on their toes. Many have taken forward and perfected the dual-threat QB role since that 2000 national championship game against FSU. The Hokies might have lost it 46-29 but Vick became a household name due to his heroics.
So, how exactly did Michael Vick perform during his college career at Virginia Tech before taking on the NFL duties?
Michael Vick and his Virginia Tech heroics post 2000 national championship game
Michael Vick had a good season with the Hokies in 1999, reaching and losing the BCS national championship game against the Florida State Seminoles. The 2000 season cemented his position as the best draft prospect.
He led his team to an undefeated regular season, while he was playing. Their only loss came against the Miami Hurricanes in a game that Vick missed.
He threw a total of 1,234 passing yards and scored eight passing touchdowns during that run. And what made him stand out was his work with his legs.
Vick ran for 617 yards on the ground, scoring eight further touchdowns for his team. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry during that season. His last college game came against the Clemson Tigers in the Gator Bowl where he led his team to a win and won the MVP. He then went to the Atlanta Falcons as the first overall draft pick in 2001. The rest, as they say, is history.