College recruiting has always operated in shadows and back rooms. But on a recent Tuesday evening, Tommy Reamon Jr., Director of College Scouting at Michael Vick’s Norfolk State, decided to blow that model wide open. During what appeared to be an impromptu question-and-answer session on X, a California recruit asked a simple question: how can he get an offer from Norfolk State?

Demorian McCray, an athlete from California with a 3.0 GPA, typed out what thousands of high school players ask coaches every year. Reamon didn’t dodge the question or send a generic “keep working hard” response. He delivered something far more valuable and infinitely more jarring: the truth. 

His reply read, “Honestly, Demorian, you’ve got solid numbers — 6’0″, 183, 3.0 GPA, 4.5 speed, and good tape, I just watched it. But respectfully, that profile isn’t hard to find. For us to bring you from California, we’d be paying out-of-state tuition and taking on the risk of you adjusting with little support nearby. That doesn’t mean you can’t play — it just means a school on the West Coast is more likely to invest in you. I guarantee somebody out there would LOVE to have you.”

The exchange immediately went viral because of the transparency Raemon showed. It laid bare the reality that geography and financial logistics matter just as much as talent. And this is true especially for programs operating on HBCU budgets. Norfolk State doesn’t have the luxury of flying prospects across the country or absorbing massive out-of-state tuition costs for players who might not pan out. 

According to Norfolk State’s published figures, out-of-state tuition runs $11,503 per semester compared to just $5,288 for in-state students. That difference of over $12,000 per year adds up quickly when you’re trying to build a competitive roster. Reamon’s response was mathematical.

What made the moment even more striking was Reamon’s willingness to provide genuine feedback rather than false hope. He acknowledged McCray’s solid measurables and even took the time to watch his film before responding. 

Michael Vick’s in-state focus

Norfolk State’s roster has 62 players from Virginia. That is more than half of its roster. Michael Vick has heavily emphasized in-state talent precisely because of these financial constraints. Bringing a player from California would require Norfolk State to justify why this particular player is worth the additional investment over comparable talent closer to home.

Reamon’s assessment that McCray’s profile “isn’t hard to find” might sting. But it’s an honest evaluation that could actually help a recruit recalibrate his approach and target schools where he’d be a better fit both athletically and financially. 

The broader context here is Michael Vick’s challenging first season at Norfolk State. The Spartans have struggled mightily in the MEAC. They sit winless in conference play at 0-3. The program averaged just 20.8 points per game through ten games.

This is not a program swimming in resources or able to take flyers on cross-country recruits. Especially when those recruits may or may not adjust to life 3,000 miles from home. Reamon understands these realities intimately. His role involves identifying talent that fits Norfolk State’s specific needs and budget constraints. And part of that job apparently includes being transparent with recruits who don’t fit the profile, even when it means delivering hard truths on a public platform.