© Scott Sewell, USA TODAY
Dangerous Deuce: To Upset Kansas State, Mizzou Must Stop One Man
Despite allowing a few deep touchdown throws, the Missouri Tigers were stout against the running attack of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in Mizzou's 52-24 season-opening win on Thursday.
The Tigers' defense allowed just 11 rush yards on 22 carries. While the secondary broke down at times, the Mizzou front seven remained steady.
But now, a new test: The Kansas State Wildcats and their one-man wrecking crew of running back Deuce Vaughn.
Not only is Vaughn only one of the best running backs in the Big 12, but he's arguably the best at his position in the country.
He had 235 carries for 1,404 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns last season. As a receiver, he had 49 catches for 468 yards and four scores. Vaughn had over 100 total yards of offense in every game but one last season and found the end zone in all but one contest. He finished the season with five-straight games of at least 120 rushing yards and is no doubt one of the top offensive weapons the Tigers will face this season.
And in Kansas State's 34-0 win over South Dakota on Saturday, he picked up where he left off in 2021, totaling 18 carries for 126 yards and one touchdown.
Even at just 5-6, 176 pounds, Vaughn's speed and quick-twitch versatility as a runner and pass-catcher make him extremely lethal in open space.
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz knows the dangers that Vaughn can deliver to his defense. But he's confident that his defense's familiarity with the play-style to former Missouri running back and the SEC's leading-rusher last season, Tyler Badie, could give his guys an advantage.
"You know, I don't think he's all that little, again, he reminds me a lot of Tyler Badie, and so those guys have seen that style of back before," Drinkwitz said. "So, I'm not concerned about that."
But of course, he's not downplaying the elite talent of Kansas State's top offensive weapon.
"What I'm more concerned with is his talent," Drinkwitz said. "His vision, his speed, his toughness, his ability to read their scheme, that duo scheme, set people up in blocks. If a defensive lineman gets eyes in the wrong gap, he's going to expose it if they get out of their gap he's going to expose it, This was a specific run scheme that gave us a lot of trouble last year. So we've got to take that off the table."
Saturday's bout with the Wildcats will be a classic matchup of old rivals that dates back to 1909. Mizzou holds a 60-32-5 advantage in the all-time series, but a road win in Manhattan Saturday might be the biggest of them all if the Tigers can pull it off.
And to get there, stopping, or, at least, limiting Vaughn is priority No. 1.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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