Why Kansas State freshman Deuce Vaughn is already a ‘matchup nightmare’ for Wildcats
It’s rare for a running back to work his way onto Kansas State’s depth chart as a freshman. That alone should tell you plenty about what Deuce Vaughn is capable of during his debut season with the Wildcats.
But just in case you don’t fully trust Vaughn’s preseason status as one of the team’s primary backup running backs or you don’t completely buy into the hype surrounding his 5-foot-5 and 168-pound frame, K-State linebacker Justin Hughes is here to ease your concerns.
“His speed, he’s a matchup nightmare in the passing game,” Hughes said earlier this week. “If you get him in the open field, he’s probably going to make you miss every time. To see him in the backfield, I know me and Elijah (Sullivan) say, ‘Deuce, Deuce, Deuce.’ We point him out every time he’s on the field because we know either he’s getting the ball, or they are setting him up to get the ball.”
Try as they might to stop him, Vaughn has been a handful for K-State defenders throughout preseason camp.
“Deuce is a hell of a player,” Hughes added. “He’s one of the most mature guys I’ve ever been around as far as a true freshman goes, and that’s a great thing. I tell him all the time that he’s more mature than he needs to be right now, and that’s great. He’s doing a great job, and I’m glad he is doing a good job. He’s a great element for our offense. I hope he bursts out onto the scene this season and becomes one of the best running backs in the Big 12.”
It remains unclear exactly what Vaughn’s role will be within the K-State offense when he makes his college debut on Saturday, but odds are good it will be a significant one.
A former three-star recruit, K-State landed Vaughn following a successful high school career in Round Rock, Texas, where he amassed 5,472 all-purpose yards and scored 50 touchdowns as a prep standout.
Some schools were scared off by his size, but that has never bothered the Wildcats. Like most short running backs that show promise in Manhattan, some are already comparing Vaughn to the program’s leading all-time rusher, Darren Sproles.
He’s got a long way to go before he enters that stratosphere. Still, it’s not hard to envision him making an immediate impact as a scatback, catching the ball out of the backfield and making defenders miss as a key member of Chris Klieman’s committee of running backs.
Who knows? He might also spend some time at receiver.
“He had a great camp,” K-State running back Harry Trotter said. “He just executed well when we needed him to. He’s a great dude out in space, so we can put him in different positions. He can do different things out of the backfield.”
If K-State’s linebackers point out every time he jogs onto the field, opposing defenses are sure to do the same.
“He’s got a great skill set,” Klieman said. “He can catch the ball extremely well. He has great vision. He can run inside, he can run outside. We’re excited about seeing what he can do ... I’m excited how mature Deuce has been throughout this process, and the game is not too big for him. He’s excited about the challenge.”