Former defensive backs coach Chris Vaughn is alleged to have violated several NCAA rules during his time at Ole Miss, according to an NCAA notice of allegations.
The notice accuses Vaughn and David Saunders, then-Ole Miss’ administrative operations coordinator, of staging a fraudulent ACT test for three recruits at Wayne County High School in Waynesboro, Mississippi in June 2010. In that same year, the duo allegedly gave five athletes impermissible benefits in the form of housing, meals and transportation. The notice valued those benefits at approximately $1,460.
Vaughn is also accused of illicitly communicating with witnesses and providing the NCAA with illegitimate information during a 2013 investigation. The NCAA lists all three allegations as Level I violations — the most severe breaches of conduct.
Texas parted ways with Vaughn in February upon learning about his involvement in the scandal surrounding Ole Miss when it was developing. At the time, the Austin American-Statesman reported that Texas thought the NCAA had a “thick file” on Vaughn stemming from Ole Miss. He coached for three years at Mississippi before joining head coach Charlie Strong’s staff at Texas in 2014.
Ole Miss’ football program is cited for 13 of the 28 violations listed in the notice. The school announced a self-imposed double-digit reduction in football scholarships after the NCAA released the report on Friday morning.