Vaughan continues growth with Steelers
LATROBE – Watching film following a preseason game can often be a trying process for a young quarterback in the NFL.
Mistakes are pointed out along with open receivers missed. The film doesn’t lie and the coaching staff can be painfully honest.
But second-year quarterback Dustin Vaughan was upbeat after watching his performance Friday night in the Steelers’ preseason-opening loss to the Detroit Lions. He knows that there is room to grow.
He also feels that after being on Dallas’ roster in 2014 and spending a month on Buffalo’s practice squad last season, he’s playing with house money right now with his career.
“I think the experiences just really helped me in terms of my confidence level, which is so weird,” said Vaughan. “Something about last year has allowed me to play with a little bit more freedom. There’s nothing to lose. I’m going out here and trying to get a job. I’m going to put everything I have out there and let the chips fall where they may. That’s the only thing I can control. Everything else are decisions that are outside of my control.”
Vaughan completed 6 of 11 passes for 50 yards in Pittsburgh’s 30-17 loss after entering the game in the third quarter when veteran Bruce Gradkowski suffered a hamstring injury on a scramble. He had a couple of passes dropped, which could have helped his numbers.
More than anything, the Steelers wanted to see him take command of the huddle, despite the chaos of players being shuffled in and out of the game. They felt he did a good job of that.
“I thought he was game,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “I thought he had a good demeanor. Obviously, it wasn’t great circumstances for him to come into the game to operate under, but such is life for a guy in his position. I thought he handled it relatively well. He’ll have additional opportunities to improve upon it.”
The Steelers appear to have settled on Landry Jones as their No. 2 quarterback and Gradkowski appeared to be entrenched at No. 3 after missing last season with shoulder and hand injuries that landed him on injured reserve. This latest injury will likely keep the 33-year-old Gradkowski out of the next preseason game Thursday at Heinz Field against the Philadelphia Eagles and could afford Vaughan a chance to unseat the veteran.
“My goal was to go out and be the best quarterback that I could be and lead the team down the field,” Vaughan said. “There are throws that I wish I could take back. There are things that I wish could be better than what they were. But also, part of being the quarterback is being able to take what you get in the past game, watch film, learn from it and make sure not to make those mistakes again.”
The holder of the NCAA Division II single-season passing record of 5,401 yards as a senior at West Texas A&M, Vaughan knows a little bit about throwing the football. Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley said earlier in training camp that Vaughan has been the best No. 4 quarterback the team has had since Haley joined in 2012.
But the question must be asked: Where the heck is West Texas A&M?
“It’s in Canyon, Texas,” Vaughan said. “We played in the Lone Star Conference.”
Canyon, Texas is located in the Texas panhandle, 13 miles south of Amarillo and west of Oklahoma City. It was nearly a world away from Calallen High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, where the 6-5, 220-pound Vaughan spent most of his time handing off the football.
But it worked for him.
“I wasn’t recruited very much out of high school. We didn’t throw the ball much in high school,” Vaughan said. “The statistics weren’t there in terms of being a late bloomer in football. I only had Division II offers and a lot in the Lone Star Conference, which is what we played in. West Texas just seemed to be a dream spot from the offers that I had because we threw the ball a whole lot.”
It got him noticed, first by the Cowboys coming out of school, then by the Bills. Now, he hopes he’s found a home with the Steelers.
“It’s been a really positive thing,” Vaughan said of comparing this training camp to his one in Dallas. “The fans here just seem so all about the Steelers and they want the best for the team, so I really enjoy that.”
Odds and end zones
Thunderstorms in the area forced the Steelers to move Sunday’s practice into the Saint Vincent College gym. … The Steelers waived/injured two players: offensive tackle Brian Mihalik and defensive tackle Roy Philon, and placed veteran safety Ross Ventrone, a Chartiers Valley High School graduate, on the reserve/injured list. To take their places on the roster, the Steelers signed three undrafted rookie free agents: offensive tackle Wade Hansen, defensive tackle Khaynin Mosley-Smith and cornerback Julian Whigham. Mosley-Smith played at Pitt and Woodland Hills High School. … The Steelers will practice at 2:55 p.m. today at Saint Vincent College. It is open to the public.