Josh Vaughan
Encyclopedia
Joshua "Josh" Vaughan is an American football
running back
for the Carolina Panthers
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
at Richmond
.
Vaughan has also been a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars
, Indianapolis Colts
, and Buffalo Bills
.
, Virginia
and attended Hermitage High School
. He played basketball and football as a running back and linebacker
. He averaged 12 yards per carry, rushed for ten touchdowns, and had 25 catches for 312 yards and four touchdowns. As a senior in 2004, he was named a first-team All-Colonial District running back and a second-team All-Colonial District linebacker.
, which limited his playing time. He recorded 57 carries for 203 rushing yards, caught five passes for 139 yards and a touchdown, including a 79-yard touchdown catch against Maine. He also saw action as a return specialist
and returned five kickoffs for a total of 95 yards. In 2006, Vaughan played in all 11 games. He had 91 carries for 569 yards and five touchdowns which matched teammate 2007 All-American
Tim Hightower
's tally. He also caught 14 passes for 90 yards. In 2007, he carried 109 times for 723 yards and nine touchdowns. Vaughan filled in for leading rusher Tim Hightower after he was injured. Against Delaware, Vaughan delivered the game-winning touchdown in quintuple overtime. In 2008
, he played as part of the Richmond team that would go on to win the Division I FCS National Championship. He played in all 16 games and led the team in rushing with 355 carries for 1,884 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes for 67 yards. Vaughan led the team in scoring, with a total of 120 points. Vaughan was awarded first-team All-CAA honors.
. He was not selected in the draft, but was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
on April 29, 2009. He was waived on August 7 when the Buccaneers claimed wide receiver
Mario Urrutia
off waivers.
on August 11, 2009 after the team waived/injured Drew Miller
. He was waived during final cuts on September 5. The Jaguars re-signed Vaughan to their practice squad on December 21.
signed Vaughan to provide depth at the running back position, where DeAngelo Williams
and Jonathan Stewart
were recovering from injuries. He was waived during final cuts on September 5 and re-signed to the practice squad. Vaughan was released from the practice squad on September 23.
' practice squad on October 18. He was cut on November 3.
' practice squad on November 8, 2010 but left the following day for an active roster spot with the Carolina Panthers.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Richmond
Richmond Spiders football
The Richmond Spiders are a college football team representing the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia. Richmond was the Division I Football Championship Subdivision champion for the 2008 season. Richmond currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of the NCAA's Division I...
.
Vaughan has also been a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, and Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Vaughan was born in RichmondRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and attended Hermitage High School
Hermitage High School (Virginia)
Hermitage High is a public high school located in Henrico County, Virginia/Richmond, Virginia. Hermitage offers a great Social Studies, Languages, and Humanities program and a top tier Psychology program regarded as one of the best in the entire state of Virginia...
. He played basketball and football as a running back and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
. He averaged 12 yards per carry, rushed for ten touchdowns, and had 25 catches for 312 yards and four touchdowns. As a senior in 2004, he was named a first-team All-Colonial District running back and a second-team All-Colonial District linebacker.
College career
In 2005, Vaughan saw action in ten games as a true freshman. He suffered an ankle injury against James MadisonJames Madison Dukes football
The James Madison Dukes football team, founded in 1972, plays at Bridgeforth Stadium. Originally called JMU Stadium, it was renamed for William E. Bridgeforth in 1990. The JMU football team was rarely the centerpiece of JMU sports until the hiring of Mickey Matthews in 1999...
, which limited his playing time. He recorded 57 carries for 203 rushing yards, caught five passes for 139 yards and a touchdown, including a 79-yard touchdown catch against Maine. He also saw action as a return specialist
Return specialist
A Return Specialist is a player on American football or Canadian football special teams who specializes in returning punts and kickoff returns. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most play other positions as well. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a...
and returned five kickoffs for a total of 95 yards. In 2006, Vaughan played in all 11 games. He had 91 carries for 569 yards and five touchdowns which matched teammate 2007 All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
Tim Hightower
Tim Hightower
-Arizona Cardinals:Hightower scored 10 touchdowns during his rookie season, and another 3 in the post season while averaging a meager 2.8 yards per carry. He would rush for a total amount of 399 yards in 2008. Hightower would then become the only Cardinal rookie running back ever to have scored a...
's tally. He also caught 14 passes for 90 yards. In 2007, he carried 109 times for 723 yards and nine touchdowns. Vaughan filled in for leading rusher Tim Hightower after he was injured. Against Delaware, Vaughan delivered the game-winning touchdown in quintuple overtime. In 2008
2008 Richmond Spiders football team
The 2008 Richmond Spiders football team represented the University of Richmond in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football during the 2008 season...
, he played as part of the Richmond team that would go on to win the Division I FCS National Championship. He played in all 16 games and led the team in rushing with 355 carries for 1,884 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes for 67 yards. Vaughan led the team in scoring, with a total of 120 points. Vaughan was awarded first-team All-CAA honors.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The NFL Draft Scout ranked him as the 30th running back in a field of 149 prospects for the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. He was not selected in the draft, but was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
on April 29, 2009. He was waived on August 7 when the Buccaneers claimed wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Mario Urrutia
Mario Urrutia
Mario Urrutia, Jr. is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
off waivers.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Vaughan signed with the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on August 11, 2009 after the team waived/injured Drew Miller
Drew Miller (American football)
Drew Miller is an American football center who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football for the University of Florida....
. He was waived during final cuts on September 5. The Jaguars re-signed Vaughan to their practice squad on December 21.
Carolina Panthers
On May 1, 2010, the Carolina PanthersCarolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
signed Vaughan to provide depth at the running back position, where DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Williams was drafted by the Panthers 27th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
and Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Creon Stewart is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. He was selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Oregon.-High school career:Stewart is the career leading rusher in...
were recovering from injuries. He was waived during final cuts on September 5 and re-signed to the practice squad. Vaughan was released from the practice squad on September 23.
Indianapolis Colts
Vaughan was signed to the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
' practice squad on October 18. He was cut on November 3.
Buffalo Bills
Vaughan signed to the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' practice squad on November 8, 2010 but left the following day for an active roster spot with the Carolina Panthers.