All it took was a jump cut along the goal line. That’s what sprung Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn for his first career touchdown against Arkansas State on Sept. 12, 2020. The move happened in an instant, yet it takes Vaughn a full minute to provide a breakdown of what occurred.
The Wildcats called a combo play. Vaughn lined up on the left side of Wildcat quarterback Skylar Thompson, who had the read. Vaughn would go right or left depending on the front. Vaughn received the handoff from Thompson but the Red Wolves instantly filled each gap, with all-conference linebacker Justin Rice squeezing through the line of scrimmage.
That’s what Vaughn’s feet did for a beat before he exploded right. It’s also all Vaughn can remember his brain doing when he saw Rice crash into the hole.
“It happened so quickly you just let your mind let go and your feet do the job,” Vaughn told 247Sports.“It’s kind of an autopilot reaction.”
Not all of Vaughn’s ankle-breaking moments occur in such a Zen-like state. There is leverage, positioning and the next move to consider. Yet when it comes to Vaughn’s many leave-the-defender-leaning jukes, Vaughn would contend it’s mostly about letting go. And few are better qualified to discuss the art of the missed tackle than Vaughn.
