Defending Deuce: Why Kansas State RB Could Spell Trouble For Texas' Defense
Every team has an ace in the hole. Eliminate their production, and cease the chances of an opponent running up the score through four quarters.
Kansas State isn't an exception from the rule. Despite the rise of Adrian Martinez at quarterback, his inconsistencies at Nebraksa might present him as more so a one-year wonder type in the right system rather than an x-factor.
No, the Wildcats' ace is more of a deuce. Deuce Vaughn to be precise. The running back has wreaked havoc on opposing defenses this season, regardless of the conference or level of competition. He makes it a mission to have offensive coordinators circle his name on the playsheet, begging them to try to stop him from running wild on Saturdays.
And it's a challenge that Texas will have in the "Little Apple" come Saturday evening.
"You can't expect just one guy to get him on the ground," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday during his Zoom press conference. "We have to play with amazing effort. We have to populate the ball, and you're going to have to wrap him up. He's got a great center of gravity, has really good balance and body control, and he's a one-cut to vertical guy."
Vaughn does it all. That's what makes him K-State's biggest weapon despite being one of the smallest. Standing 5-6 and weighing a hair over 170 pounds, Vaughn carries the most significant weight on staff as the little engine that keeps pushing forward.
And pushing forward isn't a euphemism. Vaughn currently is averaging 112.8 yards per game on the ground, the 13th-most among all FBS running backs. His 23 catches are the fourth-most among the Wildcats' personnel, while his 5.7 yards per reception leads all running backs on the roster.
So far, Vaughn hasn't allowed his small frame to determine his immense impact. In five Big 12 games, the junior has tallied 100-plus total yards of offense on four different occasions. Last week in a 48-0 win over then-No. 9 Oklahoma State, Vaughn totaled a team-high 176 yards of offense and two touchdowns off 26 touches.
"You need to know where he is," Sarkisian said. "It's easy when he's just in the backfield, but they do a nice job moving him around in some of their empty packages just trying to get him isolated one-on-one."
Sarkisian knows first-hand how deadly a player such as Vaughn can be when left alone. Last season in Texas' 22-17 season finale win over the Wildcats, Vaughn totaled 150 yards of offense off 26 reps and scored a touchdown in the second quarter. He averaged over 6,1 yards per play and broke free for three runs of over 15 yards.
Multi-tooled running backs have found some success against Texas (5-3, 3-2 Big 12) this season. In Week 2's 20-19 loss to Alabama, Jahmyr Gibbs tallied 96 total yards of offense off 18 touches and caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Young in the fourth quarter. West Virginia's Justin Johnson Jr. combined for 45 total yards off 11 touches and averaged 4.5 yards per play.
Texas is currently preparing to face both of K-State's quarterbacks entering Saturday's game at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Martinez has been a full participant in practice this week after suffering a leg injury against TCU, but Wildcats' coach Chris Klieman has stayed silent on if the grad transfer will get the starting nod.
K-State is known for its ability to move the sticks on the ground. The Wildcats currently rank 11th nationally in rushing (228 yards per game) and 10th in yards per attempt (5.65). Martinez, known for his dual-threat mobility, has factored into the run-and-gun offense, tallying 565 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns.
Still, the offense runs through Vaughn. It has been since the Round Rock native left the Lone Star State in hopes of building a legacy at Kansas State. A quick cut here and it's off to the races for Vaughn in an instant.
And that might be enough to factor into the outcome of Saturday's showcase.
"We have to do a good job playing with fanatical effort getting around the ball and wrapping him up," Sarkisian said.
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