He served as the head football coach at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) from 1947 to 1970 and again in 1973.

[1] After serving in World War II as a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy, he took a job as an assistant coach at Ole Miss in 1946 under Harold Drew, and replaced Drew as head coach a year later.

To date, Vaught is the only coach in Ole Miss history to win an SEC football championship.

In those days, the wire services crowned their national champion before the bowl games.

Vaught was named athletic director, and also served as interim head coach for the remainder of the 1973 season.

When Vaught arrived, Ole Miss ranked 9th in all-time SEC football standings.