 During Vaughan's three years playing for the Volunteers, the team compiled an overall record of 24–5–1 and outscored opponents by a combined score of 589 to 141.In December 1934, Vaughan was voted as the most valuable player on the 1934 Tennessee Volunteers football team.In his first year of professional football, Vaughan played for the 1935 Detroit Lions team that won the 1935 NFL Championship Game.