Road game at Texas will feel like a homecoming for K-State running back Deuce Vaughn
Deuce Vaughn is having the type of season that he used to dream about as a kid when he first started playing competitive football in his hometown of Round Rock, Texas.
The sophomore Kansas State running back has produced eye-popping stats (1,115 rushing yards, 464 receiving yards, 17 total touchdowns) and made enough highlight plays to fill up a YouTube channel. He has played so well during his time with the Wildcats that he figures to be the face of the program moving forward.
Everyone in the Big 12 knows him and respects him. He has arrived, no matter what happens in K-State’s final game of the regular season at Texas on Friday.
But that’s not the way he views things.
“There’s so much work to be done especially this season, the last game against Texas and then we have the bowl game as well,” Vaughn said. “It’s not really the time to celebrate, because we still have work to do. There’s so much out there to go and get.”
Another reason why Vaughn will be motivated to finish out the season strong: he is about to play his first game inside Texas Memorial Stadium. He grew up a short drive away from Austin and used to put up video-game numbers (5,472 all-purpose yards and 50 touchdowns) while playing at Cedar Ridge High School.
More than 30 family and friends will be on hand to watch him. He will have his own cheering section.
Getting tickets for everyone was more challenging than some his practices this week. But his hard work in both areas will be worth it when a road game against the Longhorns feels like a homecoming.
“It’s going to be new, but exciting,” Vaughn said. “I get to have a lot of people come up to the game that helped me get to this point that I’m in right now. I can’t take any of the credit. It’s all my high school coaches and mentors and teachers and family and friends and people like that. It’s going to be pretty cool to get to have them there and see me play.”
Vaughn will also be motivated to play against Texas.
He never had a favorite college football team when he was young, but there was a time when he cheered for the Longhorns. His father worked as an assistant coach at Texas for two years, and Vaughn attended every single home game during that time. He wore burnt orange every Saturday.
Back then, he never envisioned himself playing for K-State. But he probably did dream about playing for Texas.
The Longhorns overlooked him on the recruiting trail, but Vaughn doesn’t seem to hold that against him. He chose K-State over Air Force, Arkansas, Army, Missouri and South Florida because he thought he fit Chris Klieman’s offense like a glove and could follow in the footsteps of former Wildcats star Darren Sproles.
Vaughn has already helped K-State defeat other teams that ignored him as a recruit such as TCU and Texas Tech. But those victories didn’t seem to mean more to him. He is truly happy to be playing for the Wildcats.
He can show his family and friends why when he plays close to home against the Longhorns.
“It’s going to be big time, because I’m going to be representing Kansas State,” Vaughn said. “It’s going to be another opportunity to play with these guys ... We’re going to get their best shot and they are going to get our best shot. I’m excited to get there.”
