Write On Sports LLC - "Vaughn Overcomes LSU Nightmare" by Frank Sita

Vaughn Overcomes LSU Nightmare

2006-09-14 00:51:08 | By: Frank Sita

Since 1988, LSU and Auburn have played some monumental contests, so much that a number of the games have gotten titles.

Auburn kicker John Vaughn has been there for two of them.

For instance, the 1988 clash in Baton Rouge was tabbed the “Earthquake Game” as LSU’s touchdown pass from Tommy Hodson to Eddie Fuller on fourth down with 1:41 remaining registered on the school seismograph across campus from the crowd reaction as LSU posted a 7-6 victory.

In 1994, Auburn intercepted LSU quarterback Jamie Howard six times, returning three of the picks for touchdowns as the Tigers beat the Bayou Bengals, 30-26. This battle produced two nicknames, being called the “Interception Game” and the “Disaster on the Plains.”

LSU donned its white jerseys for a home game for the first time in 15 years, leading the Tigers to a 12-6 victory over fifth-ranked Auburn in the “Bring Back the Magic” battle. Auburn had a pass intercepted in the end zone on the final play of the game.

Back in Auburn the next year, LSU pulled off another upset by beating Auburn, 19-15, as the old Auburn Sports Arena burned during the game, getting the name “The Night the Barn Burned.”

Titled simply “The Comeback,” Auburn quarterback Dameyune Craig guided a 10-play, 80-yard drive in the final minutes of the game, leading AU to a 31-28 victory over LSU in 1997.

Two years ago, Auburn got a second chance at an extra point to beat LSU 10-9 in a defensive struggle tabbed “The Call” in Auburn. Vaughn missed his first chance, but LSU was called for a penalty, giving the sophomore another chance with just over a minute left in the game.

Last year, Vaughn was part of the LSU-Auburn lore again, missing five field goals, including one in overtime as LSU escaped with a 20-17 triumph. The win helped LSU win the SEC West championship and is politely called the “Field Goal Game.”

Vaughn is hoping to erase those bad memories this year, his senior season, as the two schools battle Saturday on CBS in the first battle since 1972 that both LSU and Auburn will be ranked in the top 10.

So far this season, Vaughn is 5-of-6 in field goals, including career bests from 44, 52 and 55 yards, all three have come in the last two games and all three show how the senior has righted his listing ship since the 2005 campaign and especially the LSU game from last year.

“I guess you could say I’ve had it circled on the calendar for a while,” Vaughn said this week. “I never had a real strong leg. I always thought I had to kill them to get them out there. Now, if I hit it solid, it will really go.”

Vaughn has not ducked any questions about what happened last year in Baton Rouge or what happened two years ago in Auburn.

“It doesn’t bother me at all,” Vaughn added. “It’s been a long time since then and I’ve played a lot of games. It’s easier now. Then, I felt like I let everybody down.”

Vaughn hit 86 percent of his kicks in 2006 preseason practice, drawing the attention of specialty teams coach Eddie Gran.

“Technique. Just technique. Just his approach. Where his plant foot is. His first step. There are a lot of things he tweaked over the summer,” Gran said.

Vaughn’s confidence never faltered after the nightmare contest, and neither did Gran’s, who sent the junior back out there against Ole Miss in the next game.

“He was 2-for-2, right down the middle,” Gran added. “And 6-for-7 after that. He did what he was supposed to do.”

Since the LSU debacle, Vaughn is 10-of-12, booting 4-of-5 against Washington State in Auburn’s opener and 2-for-2 last week against Mississippi State.

“When you get kicked down like that, you’ve got to bounce back,” Vaughn said. “Anybody can stay down. I just try to do my part and pull my weight. Last year wasn’t good enough. I just tried to bounce back, and my teammates wrapped their arms around me and made my job a lot easier.”