Virginia- Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick may face disciplinary action yet again in the wake of actions in Monday's Gator Bowl that athletic director Jim Weaver called unsportsmanlike and unacceptable.
Late in the first half against Louisville, Vick looked down, paused and stomped on the back of the knee of Elvis Dumervil - the Cardinals' national Defensive Player of the Year.
Hokies quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers yelled at Vick during the game and was critical of his actions in interviews with the media afterward. With a day to review the play, Weaver weighed in.
"The unsportsmanlike conduct of quarterback Marcus Vick ... is unacceptable behavior and contrary to the Hokies Respect Campaign," Weaver said in a written release. "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."
Officials on the field apparently did not see the play and no penalty was called, but the Hokies administration obviously agrees the stomp was intentional .
What isn't clear is what Tech will do to Vick, who is no stranger to either crime or punishment.
During his stay in Blacksburg, the junior has appeared in court for charges that include reckless driving, possession of marijuana and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He's had to perform community service, attend drug counseling and forfeit his driver's license for eight months.
He's a convicted criminal - purportedly rehabilitated - but also Virginia Tech's All-ACC quarterback. He rallied the Hokies to a comeback Gator Bowl victory to cap a fine season. But it came a year after he served a semester-long suspension from school that cost him the entire 2004 season for prior indiscretions.
Taking into account the school's comments in 2004 when he was suspended, along with Weaver's statement Tuesday, Vick's future with the team is uncertain. The day in August of 2004 when Vick was suspended, Tech president Charles Steger said that if Vick returned to the school and team, it would be a "last-chance opportunity."
Steger added, "If there is any more trouble, his Virginia Tech career is effectively ended."
His blanket statement did not indicate whether on-field infractions were included.
''I guess most of the incidents they were referring to were related to off-field incidents," said Tech offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring, who maintained Tuesday he still hadn't seen the stomp, but soon will. "But any time a policy is made or statements have been made, and a situation presents itself for review and investigation, you've taken the decision out of your own hands.
"Am I worried that this could be really bad for Marcus? That's a good question."
What is clear is that Vick has fallen short of his stated goal from that day. "I will work hard to improve myself as a person," he said then. "I want to bring pride to the Hokies. I want to bring pride to the Vick name."
But there wasn't much pride in his apology earlier this season for flipping off fans in the West Virginia stands. Nor was there much glory in being called "a no-character individual" by Dumervil after the latest game and drawing reviews like the one from Rogers.
"I'm really disappointed in him," Rogers said. "Really disappointed."
And there was Vick himself, a year and five months later, having to apologize again and still talking about needing to grow up. "Unfortunately, sometimes I don't know how to carry myself," Vick said Monday. "That's all about coming back and being polished and becoming a better person."
When or if he'll get to do that with the Hokies remains to be seen.
