Wake's Vaughn focused on Clemson
This was a very different
interview for me because of
the fact that it was done in two
parts I'll explain. 1 actually
started my interview with
Wake Forest senior safety
Chip Vaughn last week. But he
had to leave early because of a
meeting.
We picked things back up
on Tuesday. It was almost like
we never stopped talking.
Chip was very fun to talk to. I
wanted to see what his mindset
was like heading into tonight's
big game against Clemson. I
was curious to see how much
that 24-17 loss to Navy affect
ed the guys. I'm convinced the
loss might' ve motivated
Vaughn a little bit. He's mad
they lost. But he understands
that defeat could benefit the
team in the long run. He's also
happy to still be unbeaten in
ACC play.
He and I talked about a
number of topics during a cool
conversation earlier this week
We talked about his connec
tion to Winston-Salem, sherif
deputy Robert Bethea,
Philadelphia Eagles safety
Brian Dawkins. PS2, Chess
and the NFL. Take a look at
some of the other things C
Vaughn and I discussed.
Anthony: Chip, what's
good?
Chip: What's goin' on?
Anthony: Nothing much.
I'm chillin.' But you've got to
tell me how the team feels
after suffering that loss to
Navy.
Chip: To be honest with
you, a lot of guys are down. A
lot of guys are sad, pissed off
and things like that. Right
now, we're trying to get back
on that horse and keep going.
Anthony: No loss is good.
But can this benefit the team in
.1 i
Wake photo
Wake Forest senior safety Chip Vaughn is ready for
tonight's game against Clemson.
One-on-One
with Anthony Hill
me long run :
Chip: Oh yeah. I see this
as a very humbling experi
ence. It lets everyone know
that you can't just come out
here and show up. You have to
be ready to perform for four
quarters. That's what we need
ed. And, we got a big slice of
humble pie against Navy.
Anthony: No doubt. So,
is it a good thing to have an
open week after a
toss line uiat i
Chip: It's def
initely a good
thing. Everybody
has been looking
at the film, lifting
more... we've got
ten back to the
basics.
Anthony:
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guys can still go
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ference play has got to be a
motivating factor.
Chip: Yeah. It is. The only
good thing to come out of that
loss was the fact that it wasn't
a conference game.
Anthony: So, are you
guys ready to take things out
on Clemson?
Chip: Definitely. I can't
put it into words how anxious
the team is to get back on the
field. We want to prove that
wasn't the 2008 Wake team
that lost to Navy.
Anthony: How's the
preparation been heading into
the Clemson game?
Chip: Almost like sum
mer camp. We've had a lot of
full pad practices, a lot of live
scrimmages. Coach Grobe was
very upset with our perform
ances last we A. He said that
we won't play that soft again.
He's been pushing us these last
few practices.
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smiiiuuy. 1 uci. i in piviv
ing you all to win the ACC.
Chip: 'Predate it.
Anthony: No doubt. But
tell me which team you think
has been the surprise in col
lege football this year.
Chip: It would have to be
Alabama. It's got to be
Alabama. (Both smile.) It's got
to be them. They came out and
beat Clemson. They put that
whuppin' on them Georgia
boys. They've definitely been
the surprise team to me. >
Anthony: How much
SportsCenter and College
.Gameday do you all watch?
Chip: (Laughs.) A4o?. We
watch all of that. We see all
that stuff that comes on TV. It
feels good to see that we're
finally getting some respect
out here. At the same time it's
not going to our heads or any
thing like that.
Anthony: To me, you
look like a Brian Dawkins type
of player. Who do you model
your game after?
Chip: You hit it right on
the head. It's between B-Dawk
and Sean Taylor.
Anthony: What are you
usually doing when you're not
busting heads or studying?
Chip: Most of the time
I'm just chilling on the couch,
watching TV. A lot of the times
I'm on the Xbox 360 too. I'm
usually playing Madden, Call
to Duty, college football and
an uiat jiui i iw
time.
Anthony: Do
you play seasons or
do you just play
against friends?
Chip: I do it all.
I play friends online.
1 11 start a franchise
and dynasty. I do a
littlp hit n f pvcrv
Vaughn
thing.
Anthony: How
much love do you give your
self on the games? Do you
boost your ratings up?
Chip: I did when I was a
kid. I don't anymore. Even if
they have me with a bad rat
ing, I just make it work. I like
to play with my friends that
play at other colleges. I'll call
them and tell them how sorry
they are in a game. (Both
laugh.)
Anthony: How much do
you think of the NFL?
Chip: Probably everyday.
I know that a lot of eyes are
watching. It's like an inter
view. 1 have 12 more games to
impress them (NFL scouts). I
have to get better every week.
So, it's definitely on my mind.
Anthony: Have you seen
any of the mock drafts? If so,
what round are you projected
to go?
cmp: Yean, (smues.) i ve
been predicted to go anywhere
from the first round to the sev
enth round. I've seen it all. I
know 1 have to keep getting
better each week. (Smiles.)
Creme is always going to rise
to the top.
Anthony: Do you have a
favorite team?
Chip: My team has been
the Green Bay Packers my
whole life. After this season I
won't have ? favorite team.
Anthony: OK. Tell me
something about yourself that
everyone may not know.
Chip: I can cook. I'm a
real good cook. I'm a beast in
the kitchen. And, I play chess.
Anthony: (Smiles.) I bet
all of you Wake guys can play
chess.
Chip: (Laughs.) You
would think that. But there's
not a lot of us out there,
though. I think it's kind of like
a lost art.
Anthony: Maybe. Hey, I
know that you have some
Winston-Salem connections.
How are you attached to this
city?
Chip: My father is actual
ly from East Winston. I have a
whole bunch of cousins
around here. I was bom in
Goldsboro. My mother's par
ents stay there. They come to
the games. So, I have a lot of
ties around the whole state.
Anthony: You have an
uncle that's a sherif deputy
(Robert Bethea) too. Every
time I'm around him he has
something to say about you.
Chip: (Smiles.) Yeah,
uncle Rob. He has his shirts
already made up for the game.
I talk to him about every other
day. He's always like, "Man,
you got to get better Chip. You
were playing a little soft."
(Both laugh.) He always tells
me how bad I may have
played, and how I have to step
up my game.
Anthony: (Smiles.) That's
funny. Um, what's your
favorite TV show?
Chip: (Laughs.) "The
Boondocks." That's my
favorite television show. And,
"First 48."
Anthony: What are you
bumping before games?
Chip: I'll have a little
DMX, Tupac and some
Biggie. It's kind of funny
because I was just making my
little playlist for the game on
Thursday. I'm downloading a
whole bunch of DMX because
that's my mindset right now.
I've got to let the dog out on
Thursday.
Anthony: That's what's
up. Talk about how much
things have changed since
you've been here.
*_nip: we aian t nave
great leadership when I first
got here. A lot of guys were
out for themselves. My whole
class came from winning high
schools. But we went 4-7
when I first got here. I was
wondering what I got myself
into. Then, we went 5-7. But
we lost a lot of those games by
7 points or less.
We were > playing not to
lose. After the '05 season our
coaches kind of busted our
a$$. We started to play to win.
Guys started to get more and
more confident. Then, we
started playing like it was high
school again.
Anthony: When you first
got here did you really believe
you would have a chance to
win the conference?
Chip: It's funny you
asked that. When coach Grobe
was recruiting me he said that
he couldn't promise me that
we'd win a championship. He
promised me that I'd have a
chance to play early. Even
when we won the ACC that
wasn't our goal. We just want
ed to go to a bowl game. When
we got to that sixth win we
started to believe we could win
the whole thing. That's when
our confidence started chang
ing.
Anthony: Do you think
:oach Grobe will stay here for
ever?
Chip Forever? I don't
know. Money talks. But coach
Grobe is a great guy. The
whole city loves him. So, 1
don't know. Wake and coach
Grobe is a really good fit.
Anthony: No doubt Let's
finish with free association
Uh, Chip Vaughn.
Chip: Deacon.
Anthony: Wake Forest
football.
Chip: (Pause.) OK... the
future.
Anthony: Virginia high
school football.
Chip: The greatest high
school football in the country.
(Both laugh.) I got to rep them.
I've got to.
Anthony: (Smiles.) I see.
(Both laugh.) Winston-Salem.
Chip: Home away from
home.
Anthony: Number two
(Alphonso Smith).
Chip: Playmaker.
Anthony: No doubt.
(Smiles.) And, the winner of
the Wake and Clemson game.
Chip: Them Peac' Boys.
*1
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