Q&A with NFLPA Coaching Intern Chip Vaughn
Editor’s Note: The NFLPA Coaching Internship program provides opportunities for former professional football players to gain coaching experience at Division II, Division III, and NAIA universities for an entire football season. Chip Vaughn, a former NFL safety of the New Orleans Saints’ Super Bowl XLIV winning team is one of 17 former players in the NFLPA’s internship program. After just three weeks serving as a coaching intern at Winston-Salem State University, Vaughn was promoted to a full-time position and now serves as the safeties coach. Learn more about Vaughn’s internship experience in this Q&A.
Q: What attracted you to coaching after the end of your NFL career?
A: It is the closest way I can be back on the field and not play. That’s number one. Number two is that I actually like to teach and coach guys, and watch them apply what I teach them. It is kind of like a proud parent-type moment. I get joy seeing guys reach their full potential. That’s all I want to see.
Q: How did you find out about the NFLPA Coaching Internship?
A: I began coaching last year at Furr High School in Houston where I taught algebra, and then I started to coach there. After the season the head coach gave me more responsibilities. I was in Houston and down there football is huge. The coach made me the defensive coordinator for seven-on-seven. As we started having practice I started falling in love with the game again. When our spring time was done I started to get phone calls from different schools. Then I heard about this internship program, and I was like “Oh man, I’ve got to be part of that.” I actually found out about the internship through The Trust. I was talking to a Program Manager and she mentioned something to me about it.
Q: How does being a football coach compare to being an algebra teacher?
A: It is the exact same in many ways. The only difference is the playing field is different, but as far as the preparation, planning and scheduling, all of that is the same. You have your lesson plan and game plans. You have to break down how you’re going to teach that lesson. There are a lot of parallels between the two.
Q: What was your first day at Winston-Salem State University like? As you prepared for a new perspective on football, what was going through your mind?
A: My internship started on July 20. I wanted to sit back, observe, watch everybody and just learn. When I came to Winston-Salem State everybody was very nice. The staff welcomed me with huge arms. Everybody here has been fantastic. For me moving up into the college ranks and trying to be a coach I told myself I was going to take all of the qualities I liked in the coaches that I had and spin that to turn it into my own coaching style.
Q: How would you describe your coaching style?
A: I think that it changes over time with every coach. I think that’s just how the stages of life are, but I think with me being not very far removed from the game I see myself definitely as a player-type coach. One that can actually teach and apply the techniques and fundamentals that we are trying to use. I am very energetic and supportive. I am trying to use up all of my energy before I get too old.
Q: What area of coaching are you involved with at Winston-Salem State University?
A: When I started my internship I was more of the assistant secondary coach. After I got my promotion to a full-time coach, I became the safeties coach, and I also coach special teams.
Q: How did you get a full-time position at Winston-Salem State?
A: I was shocked. It wasn’t something I was trying to do. It was something that just happened. I came in early every day. I left late. I would do anything that was asked of me. I would do more. Then a situation came up where a former coach of mine offered me a linebacker coaching job at his college. I told the head coach at Winston-Salem that I had an offer to be a full-time coach. He said, “I understand, but what if we match it?” I said if y’all can then I will stay. That’s how it happened. He said, “I can’t afford to have you leave. You’ve done tremendous work these past three weeks, and I want you to join my staff.” It was awesome. I felt like I got a little bit of validation for the hard work.
Q: What parts of coaching do you find most challenging? Most enjoyable?
A: I didn’t expect the chalk talk to be so much like a political debate. When a coach tries to draw up certain plays or formations that he thinks are going to work. Then you have to try to pitch your stuff to the rest of the staff. I see it as a “Shark Tank” type of deal. You have this idea and you have to try to pitch it to all of these investors. I enjoy it. You’re basically a salesman at the end of the day. That’s how I see it. You have to sell your game plan. You have to sell your technique. You have to make the coaches and the kids believe in you. For me, the most challenging part right now is knowing when to shut it off. I’m so eager right now and that’s the way I’ve always been. I’m always trying to turn over every stone. There have been nights where I don’t get that much sleep because I am always thinking about something I could be doing or I could be watching film. Learning when to take a step back and tell myself, “OK just breathe, get some rest,” has been the hardest part.
Q: Why are programs like the NFLPA Coaching Internship important for former players who may want to start a career as a coach?
A: The way I felt when I was done playing is the same way a lot of guys feel. I didn’t want anything to do with football. I didn’t want to watch anything related to football.I didn’t want to talk about football. As time passed, and I started to get in to some private football training that is when I started to coach high school. It was kind of a snowball effect. I think the NFLPA’s program is good for guys because it is a situation where you can really get your feet wet and test out if you really like it.
Q: The college football season begins soon. What are you feeling as the start of the season approaches?
A: I’m treating this like it is an NFL camp. I’m treating every scrimmage we have like a preseason game. It is fortunate that I am on a staff that has two other former NFL players [Natrone Means and Thabiti Davis], so we have all been trying to add our experiences to the players’ mindset here.
More information about the NFLPA Coaching Internship can be found here.
--Jenna Perlman
NFLPA Communications
