Coach Vaughn Joins ESPN Game Day Ahead Of Fiesta Bowl Showdown
Rece Davis:
“Welcome back to College GameDay, live from the Fiesta Bowl where the undefeated ACC champion Coastal Carolina Chanticleers take on the SEC champion Georgia Bulldogs. And joining us now, the man who seven years ago was an interim coach, and today has his program in its third College Football Playoff in five years — head coach Kade Vaughn. Coach, it’s great to have you.”
Kade Vaughn:
“Good to be here, Rece. Feels a little different from when I was just trying to keep the seat warm in Conway.”
Rece Davis:
“Let’s start right there. Seven years ago you didn’t even have a job lined up, and now you’re sitting here leading a team into a semifinal against Georgia. How do you even begin to describe this journey?”
Vaughn:
“Honestly? Surreal. I always believed in myself as a coach, but if you told me back then I’d be coaching for a shot at a national title four years later, I’d have laughed. It’s been a roller coaster — Sun Belt titles, going independent, joining the ACC. Every step has been wild, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Pat McAfee:
“Wild’s the right word. Coach, you went from mullets and teal turf jokes to the freakin’ Fiesta Bowl. How crazy has this ride been for you personally?”
Vaughn:
“Unreal, Pat. Straight up. Early on, we were hunters — nobody respected us, so every week was a chance to prove people wrong. Now? We’re the hunted. We get everybody’s best shot, and we love it. Like I always say — we don’t duck the smoke in Conway, we bring it.”
McAfee):
“And your fans, Coach — teal mullets showing up in stadiums across the country? That’s turned into a cult following.”
Vaughn:
“Man, at first I thought it was just a Carolina thing. Then when we went independent, I’m seeing teal wigs and turf shirts in Texas, in L.A., in Columbus. That’s when it hit me — this thing’s bigger than Conway now.”
Desmond Howard:
“Coach, you’ve been the underdog, the outsider, the disruptor. But now you’re the ACC champ. Do your players still carry that same chip, or has the mindset shifted?”
Vaughn:
“In the words of Kobe — ‘different animal, same beast.’ The chip is still there, it just looks different. People say, ‘Yeah, but can they do it without Bryce Underwood?’ I love Bryce, still talk to him all the time, but our guys take that personally. The message now is simple: Bryce was a generational player, but he was part of a generational program. We’re built to last.”
Howard:
“Speaking of leaders, who’s become the heartbeat of this team?”
Vaughn:
“Walt Reyna was the guy for years. With him gone, Ty Oden’s stepped up — not just making plays, but teaching, holding guys accountable. And on offense? Fred. Freshman or not, when he’s in that huddle, it’s his. He commands it, and the guys respond.”
Howard:
“That’s big-time leadership.”
Kirk Herbstreit:
“Coach, two years ago this same Georgia program knocked you out in the Orange Bowl. What’s different now? Why are you more ready this time?”
Vaughn:
“Back then, we were spoiled by Bryce. He could turn nothing into something, flip the game in a snap. When he was gone, I didn’t adapt enough with Mason — trusted our scheme too much instead of adjusting. That’s changed. With Fred, we adapt on a drive-to-drive basis. We’re not locked into one identity. That’s what gives us the edge: we’re not playing checkers. We’re playing chess.”
Herbstreit:
“And it’s not just scheme. You’ve built this program to recruit at a much higher level. Signing Tripucka, a top-10 national player — the highest-rated in school history — is a huge deal. What’s that done for your program?”
Vaughn:
“Early days it was transfers — guys wanting to reboot their careers. After the ’28 title, though? High school kids saw us as a place to build their future. Tripucka just proved it. We’re not a fun underdog anymore. We’re a destination.”
Nick Saban:
“Every program has a standard. At Alabama, ours was ‘the process.’ What’s the Coastal Carolina standard?”
Vaughn:
“Compete. That’s it. Star ratings don’t matter once you’re here. You get on the field, you compete, or you don’t play. Period. Simple as that.”
Saban:
“And when you raise that talent level, you also raise challenges. Coastal’s had some off-field issues this season. How do you handle that responsibility as the leader of young men?”
Vaughn:
“You’re right, Coach. It comes with the stage. Incidents happen everywhere, but when you’re in the Playoff, they get magnified. My rule’s simple — accountability applies to everybody. Doesn’t matter if you’re the star QB or the last man on the roster. You break team rules? You pay for it. We lay it out every spring. No excuses, no exceptions. Life comes at you fast if you don’t handle your business.”
Saban:
“So how have you changed as a leader since you took this job in 2025?”
Vaughn:
“Back then, success was just beating an in-state rival. Now? Success means keeping the number one team in the country from getting complacent. That’s harder. Underdog speeches are easy. Keeping kids hungry when they’re on top of the mountain? That’s the challenge. But I’ll be damned if my guys ever coast.”
Rece Davis:
“Coach, you’ve weathered conference drama, an independent stretch, near-misses, even controversy — and now you’re here. If we’re sitting here a week from now talking about Coastal Carolina in the national championship game, what’s the headline?”
Vaughn:
“Sustained success. That’s the story. Coastal Carolina isn’t a one-hit wonder. We’ve built something that lasts, and we don’t really give a damn if the rest of the country likes it or not.”
Nick Saban:
“Before Rece closes us out, let me ask you this, Coach. What’s next for you? Are you in Conway for the long haul, or could a bigger program pull you away?”
Vaughn:
“If you’d asked me in the beginning, I probably would’ve said there were a handful of programs I’d be interested in. And truth be told — those offers have already come and gone.”
Pat McAfee:
“Whoa, whoa, Coach — you can’t just dangle that out there. Spill the tea!”
Vaughn:
“I’m from Alaska. Let’s just say they were programs closer to home. Calls came last year, and the year before. But that’s all it was.”
McAfee:
“Closer to home? Coach, the only Pac-12 job that opened last year was Oregon. Are you telling me you turned down the freakin’ Ducks?!”
Vaughn:
“I ain’t sayin’ nothin’, Pat. Offer came, interview never happened. And honestly? At this point, the only thing that might pull me from Conway is the NFL.”
Saban:
“Well, I can tell you from experience — making that jump isn’t always what it looks like from the outside. The grass isn’t always greener. But obviously, it worked out for me in the end.”
Vaughn:
“Exactly, Coach. I’m not saying I’d jump at the first opportunity. It would have to be the right situation, the right fit. But if that came along? That’d be the only way I’d consider walking away from the Teal.”
Rece Davis:
“Well, there you have it — Coach Kade Vaughn, ACC champion, leading Coastal Carolina into another Playoff showdown. Coach, good luck tonight.”
Vaughn:
“Appreciate it, fellas.”