August 08, 2024
Athletics Senior Writer
USF sixth-year player Jason Vaughn lines up at "b-backer,'' a hybrid position between defensive lineman and linebacker. His primary job is going vertical, pushing ahead, always making progress toward getting the quarterback.
For Vaughn, it has always been about pushing ahead instead of looking back. With a positive, mature attitude, he has weathered the disappointment of being largely unwanted out of high school, then the shock of tearing his right meniscus on the first play of USF's initial fall-camp scrimmage in 2023.
Despite the injury, Vaughn somehow grinded through the first four games — getting a sack against Florida A&M and Alabama — before he and the coaches mutually agreed to shut it down.