‘A big brother to me’: Vaughn has Texas-sized connection with Jefferson

When the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers meet, it isn’t just a clash between two rival clubs, but two high school teammates as well.

Riders offensive tackle Terran Vaughn and Bombers defensive end Willie Jefferson were both members of the Ozen High School football team in Beaumont, Texas.

“I’ve been playing Willie for a while so it’s always fun to get out there,” the 28-year-old Vaughn said in advance of Friday’s CFL game between the Riders and Bombers in Winnipeg. “Willie has always been a big brother to me. He was a senior and I was a freshman.”

Ozen wasn’t the last place the two talented football players would end up together, as both played with the Stephen F. Austin University Lumberjacks.

“He’s always done a good job of pushing me,” Vaughn said. “No matter if we were working out, practising or in a game, both of us were expecting each other’s best and that’s usually what we get from each other.

“It’s always fun to go out there and compete with a like-minded guy like that – someone I know who works hard (and) someone I know who loves the game.”

When Vaughn played with Jefferson in high school, the senior was a wide receiver at the time.

By the time Vaughn got to Stephen F. Austin, Jefferson had already turned into an elite defensive end.

“It was odd. My first year at Stephen F. Austin was about to be Willie’s second so he actually came half a sack away from breaking the sack record,” Vaughn said. “He brings that athleticism and stuff that he had at receiver and brings it out to the edge and that added challenge.

“It’s always fun (going against him) because we’ve been doing it for forever, so whenever we go at it in practice or for a workout, it’s always the same intensity and it’s always a war so it brings the best out of me and I love the challenge.”

Going against Jefferson also shaped Vaughn into the O-lineman he is, starting at Stephen F. Austin as a true freshman at the time.

Now Vaughn will try to stop a Bombers pass rush that features Jefferson along with Casey Sayles and Jake Thomas. Jackson Jeffcoat also normally presents a big problem for offensive groups, but the defensive end hasn’t practised this week so his status is in doubt.

“I do my job and whatever that dictates, that’s what I do,” Vaughn said. “If it takes stonewalling him, I stonewall him … At the end of the day, our job has to get done: We’ve got to keep Cody (Fajardo) clean and we’ve got to get points on the board. However that goes, we don’t really care about style points.”

On Friday, the Riders will try to earn their first win against the Bombers since Oct. 5, 2019. Kickoff for Friday’s game is set for 6 p.m. The Green Zone pre-game show begins at 4 p.m.

The Riders have lost both previous meetings this season – 20-18 in the Labour Day Classic and 54-20 in the Banjo Bowl a week later.

Saskatchewan finds itself in a slide, losing seven of its last nine games and battling for its playoff life.

Meanwhile, the Bombers have already clinched a playoff spot and are closing in on securing first place in the CFL.

Some adversity is nothing new for Vaughn.

While the two linemen have become pro football players, Vaughn admitted Beaumont is a place where it can be easy to fall in with gangs.

“Some people call it a jungle. It’s crazy out there. It’s got a lot of good people (with) some knuckleheads. As long as you can stay on the right track, you’ll be good in life coming out of Beaumont,” Vaughn said.

“Sometimes it’s a tough environment and a lot of misdirection. People get lost. A lot of my friends who are better than me end up getting lost along the way.”

Football was a way for Vaughn to stay on the right path, going to college and then eventually getting some shots in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills in 2016 and the Indianapolis Colts in 2017.

But when nothing came of those opportunities and Vaughn was looking for his next football destination, it came in the CFL with an old friend playing a role in that.

“When Coach (Chris) Jones was here, (Jefferson) was in Coach Jones’ ear and they ended up giving me a workout and liking me and I’ve been here since,” Vaughn said. “I owe a lot of that to Willie.”

Since then, Vaughn has appeared in 28 games for Saskatchewan.

With Vaughn and Jefferson now showcasing their skills in the pros, Vaughn said it can hopefully help inspire others from Beaumont.

“A lot of people don’t make it out of where we are from, so to be able to be on one of the biggest stages and show the kids back where we are from that it is possible and and it’s achievable, it’s always a great thing,” he said.

Vaughn also not only had to deal with the loss of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic but he also missed the 2021 season after needing to undergo shoulder surgery early in training camp.

“It’s always good getting back to doing what I love. I’ve put in a lot of work to be here,” Vaughn said.

The Riders will try to keep Fajardo upright for the remaining four games of the 2022 season. So far, their pass protection has given up a league-high 59 sacks.

“Every week is a bit of an improvement. We’re trying to get all the way there so we can solidify it and take care of Cody,” Vaughn said. “Watching the guys, we are working hard and improving every week and we are trying to get better.”