The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Defensive Backs/Special Teams Coordinator
Chris Vaughn, who has served stints at Memphis, Ole Miss and Arkansas, is in his second season as defensive backs coach at Texas.
Vaughn helped coach one of the top secondary’s in the nation during 2014, with the Longhorns ranking 11th nationally in passing yards allowed (184.2 per game), 15th in passing efficiency defense (110.04) and 25th in total defense (348.5 ypg). Cornerbacks Quandre Diggs and Duke Thomas, as well as safety Dylan Haines, earned All-Big 12 honors. Those three combined for 10 of Texas’ 15 interceptions, which were tied for the 23rd most in the country.
Diggs (sixth round to Detroit) and safety Mykkele Thompson (fifth round to NY Giants) ended up being selected in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Vaughn also served as special teams coordinator last season when Texas had to replace Lou Groza finalist Anthony Fera, who was also the punter in 2013. Place-kicker Nick Rose improved during 2014, ending the year 14 of 21 on field goals, including hitting five of his last six. Seniors William Russ and Michael Davidson each punted during the season, with Russ ending the year averaging 42.4 per attempt, which ranks fourth on the UT career list.
Vaughn spent the previous two seasons serving as the University of Memphis cornerbacks coach. In 2013, he helped coach a defense that ranked 39th in the nation in both total yards (370.7 ypg) and sacks (2.3 pg), 44th in scoring defense (24.6 ppg) and 12th in rushing defense (116.3 ypg). Cornerback Bobby McCain, who ended up being taken by Miami in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft, played in only nine of the Tigers’ games, but led the team with six interceptions and 10 passes defended, while CB Andrew Gaines was third on the team in tackles with 64, and CB Bakari Hollier led with eight pass breakups. Despite a 3-9 record, Memphis had several defeats by narrow margins, including by seven points to conference powers Central Florida and Louisville.
In 2012, Vaughn’s first season at Memphis, the Tigers led Conference USA in total defense in league games, giving up just 331.6 yards per game. Memphis lowered its total yardage allowed in conference games from the previous season by 30 percent and ranked 50th nationally in total defense (383.6 yards per game). The Tigers made a 67-position improvement from the 2011 season when they ranked 117th with a 491.0 yards-per-game average. The rushing defense ranked 32nd nationally, only surrendering 138.0 yards per game. Memphis ranked last nationally in pass defense for the 2011 season but in Vaughn's first season the Tigers made a 42-spot improvement, allowing 245.6 yards passing in 2012.
The Tigers posted a 4-4 mark in Conference USA, winning more league games in 2012 than the previous three seasons combined. Memphis' 4-8 overall record marked the team's best finish since 2008.
Prior to joining the Memphis staff, Vaughn spent the previous four seasons (2008-11) at Ole Miss where he directed the defensive backs and served as the program's recruiting coordinator.
Vaughn's time at Ole Miss was highlighted by a 2009 unit that was one of the nation's toughest pass defenses. With corners Marshay Green and Cassius Vaughn, Ole Miss ranked No. 11 in passing efficiency defense and No. 15 in passing defense in the NCAA. The Rebels finished fourth in the SEC and 15th nationally in scoring defense (17.7 ppg) and fourth in the league and 21st nationally in total defense (314.7 ypg). After the season, Green and Vaughn signed NFL contracts with Arizona and Denver, respectively.
In his first season with Ole Miss, Vaughn helped coach a Rebels defense that intercepted 16 passes, which were eight more than the previous season. The unit also improved from 11th to fifth in scoring defense and from 12th to fifth in total defense in the SEC.
During his first spring drills as cornerbacks coach at Ole Miss, he faced the immediate challenge of transforming Green, a wide receiver, into a cornerback. Green entered the starting lineup in the third contest of the 2008 season and started 22 games his final two seasons.
Under Vaughn's watch, Green earned Defensive MVP honors in the 2009 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. The Ole Miss secondary limited Texas Tech All-American Michael Crabtree to just 30 receiving yards in that game.
As recruiting coordinator, Rivals.com named Vaughn one of the top 25 Recruiters in the nation. The Rebels' 2010 class earned even higher praise from Scout.com (No. 15), while the 2011 signing class dominated the state of Mississippi, inking the state's top five recruits and eight of top 12. The class included a school-record four U.S. Army All-Americans.
Prior to Ole Miss, Vaughn served on the Arkansas staff for nine seasons (1999-2007), including four as recruiting coordinator. During his Razorbacks tenure, his coaching responsibilities included outside linebackers (2000-04), outside linebackers and strong safeties (2001-03) and all safeties (2005, 2007). He spent the 2006 season as the director of on-campus recruiting.
Among his pupils at Arkansas were Tony Bua, a fifth-round pick by Miami in the 2004 NFL Draft; Vickiel Vaughn, a seventh-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers; and Matt Hewitt, who signed a free agent contract with the Buffalo Bills. In 2003, Vaughn directed a unit that helped Arkansas finish 23rd in the nation in passing efficiency defense and 21st in pass defense ranked third in pass efficiency defense.
As outside linebackers coach, Vaughn was instrumental in developing Bua into an All-SEC performer. Bua earned All-SEC honors from 2001-03 and ended his career as Arkansas' all-time tackles leader with 408 stops.
In 2001, Vaughn helped Arkansas' defense rank second in red zone defense and third in turnover margin in the SEC. The Razorbacks defense held opponents to scoring only 68.3 percent in the red zone and posted a plus-five turnover margin. Vaughn also helped coach a 2000 defensive unit which led the SEC and was 12th nationally in total defense, allowing only 292.1 yards per game.
Vaughn began his Arkansas career as a graduate assistant in 1999, working with the defense. Vaughn landed his first full-time coaching position less than a week after a Cotton Bowl win when he was named Tulsa's linebackers coach on Jan. 3, 2000. Vaughn's tenure at Tulsa, however, lasted fewer than six weeks. When a full-time slot opened on the Razorbacks staff, Nutt hired Vaughn back on Feb. 17, 2000, in time to prepare for spring practice.
Vaughn earned four letters as a linebacker at Murray State. He was a member of Murray State teams that claimed back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) titles and made consecutive NCAA Division I-AA playoff appearances in 1995 and 1996.
Vaughn earned All-OVC honors as a senior in 1997, totaling 103 tackles, six sacks and 10 TFL. He earned his bachelor's degree in advertising with a minor in art from Murray State in 1998.
A native of Tallahassee, Fla., Vaughn was an all-state linebacker, state wrestling runner-up and 4A state weightlifting champion at Godby High School.
He and his wife, Marquette, are the parents of Christopher Matthew Vaughn II, Cienna Marquette and Camryn McNeil.
CHRIS VAUGHN AT-A-GLANCE | |
| Hometown | Tallahassee, Fla. |
| High school | Godby |
| College | Murray State '98 |
| Year in coaching | 16th |
| Wife | Marquette |
| Children | Christopher Matthew II, Cienna Marquette, Camryn McNeil |
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS | ||
| 2015- | Defensive Backs | Texas |
| 2014 | Defensive Backs/Special Teams Coordinator | Texas |
| 2012-13 | Cornerbacks | Memphis |
| 2008-11 | Defensive Backs/Recruiting Coordinator | Ole Miss |
| 2007 | Safeties | Arkansas |
| 2006 | Director of On-Campus Recruiting | Arkansas |
| 2005 | Safeties | Arkansas |
| 2004 | Outside Linebackers | Arkansas |
| 2001-03 | Outside Linebackers/Strong Safeties | Arkansas |
| 2000 | Outside Linebackers | Arkansas |
| 2000 (Jan.-Feb.) | Linebackers | Tulsa |
| 1999 | Graduate Assistant | Arkansas |
COLLEGE BOWL EXPERIENCE | ||
| 2014 | Texas Bowl | Texas |
| 2010 | Cotton Bowl | Ole Miss |
| 2009 | Cotton Bowl | Ole Miss |
| 2007 | Capital One Bowl | Arkansas |
| 2003 | Independence Bowl | Arkansas |
| 2002 | Music City Bowl | Arkansas |
| 2002 | Cotton Bowl | Arkansas |
| 2000 | Las Vegas Bowl | Arkansas |
| 1999 | Cotton Bowl | Arkansas |
