LAS VEGAS — Depending on who you ask and the … ahem … topic of discussion, size matters, but that is case-sensitive when it comes to the realm of sports. Deuce Vaughn neither towers about nor does he fracture the concrete with his every step, but what the Dallas Cowboys’ former sixth-round pick can do is collect a defender’s ankles like charms on a Pandora bracelet.
Moreover, he’s added some noticeable power to his game, evidenced against the Las Vegas Raiders when, on one of his handoffs, the defender first made contact behind the line of scrimmage but Vaughn unleashed some eye-opening power to move through several defenders to turn the potential loss into a gain.
Well, that’s new, but it’s not a coincidence.
“It’s a testament to all of the work I’ve put in over [the course of] this offseason,” said Vaughn following the victory at Allegiant Stadium. “Some of the things I wanted to do was to get a little bit bigger, and to get a little bit stronger in between the tackles because, in this league, that’s where the hay is made: those four-yard runs, those five-yard runs.
Easily the quickest and most shifty running back on the Cowboys’ roster, Vaughn has clearly added a power element to his skill set — making it more challenging for those who believe he’ll be an easy takedown if ever they’re able to get their hands on him.
“I wanted to be more powerful to put the offense in better situations on second and third down,” he said. “It’s one of those things I wanted to work on in the offseason, so to be able to come out here and put this down as a foundation is huge.”
Having missed the previous several practices, one scrimmage against the Los Angeles Rams and then the preseason opener that followed, due to a hamstring injury — the first time he’s been sidelined by that type of injury in his football career — it was paramount Vaughn have a strong outing in Las Vegas.
As it turns out, the house didn’t win against him.
He led the Cowboys with 34 rushing yards on only five handoffs for a game-high average of 6.8 yards per carry and created a mixed highlight reel that showcased elusiveness and strength.
“For myself, I felt like missing last week because of the hamstring, I wanted to come out and show what I can do,” Vaughn said. “Can’t take all the credit. The O-line did a great job up front. Trey [Lance] did a great job of keeping us under control in the huddle.
“I just wanted to go out there and showcase what I can do — is the biggest thing for myself.”
There was yet another reason for Vaughn to wear an ear-to-ear grin against the Raiders, and that’s the fact it marked the first time he and Cooper Beebe have been on the field at the same time since their days together at Kansas State.
Vaughn departed for the Cowboys in 2023 and Beebe just one year later, and the two former Wildcats are reunited; and it felt so good as their chemistry picked up right where it left off.
“It was huge, man,” said Vaughn of running behind Beebe for Dallas. “We were in the huddle and he called out the down and distance, and I looked up and saw him standing right there and I was like, ‘Man, it’s been a minute.’ It was real cool to be out there with him.
“He’s a fantastic O-lineman and a fantastic person as well, so whenever he got drafted here, and now I’m playing with him again in the preseason, it’s really cool.”
Beebe excelled in his first unofficial start for the Cowboys, and against the Raiders’ first-team for most of his reps at center, dirting/pancaking several defenders and clearing a path for Vaughn to do his work.
Now it’s about replicating and/or building upon that success in the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers in the familiar confines of AT&T Stadium.
“That power, and hopefully have some opportunities to show off some pass protection going into this next week — just shoring up all the question marks that were given to me going into this offseason,” Vaughn said of his plans going forward.
It appears he’s hellbent on cutting some of his biggest doubters down to size in 2024.
