Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Dustin Vaughan excited if role changes Sunday

IRVING, Texas -- If Tony Romo does not play Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, Dustin Vaughan will be the Dallas Cowboys’ backup quarterback.

A year ago he was playing at West Texas A&M, throwing 45 touchdown passes.

“I think it just becomes more real,” Vaughan said. “I don’t think it adds any type of nervousness or anxiety, because I think every single week you’re preparing for it. With that, I think just being able to handle it when it comes down to it, and you know hopefully Brandon [Weeden] goes through and has a great game, but my job is to be ready if that time comes.”

Vaughan has taken the scout-team snaps this week after taking only a few reps in the first eight weeks of the season. He has been inactive every game but the Cowboys liked what he showed in the preseason, when he completed 22 of 43 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown.

“He’s done a nice job with that,” passing game coordinator Scott Linehan said of Vaughan’s practice work. “I think it’s really prepared him to step in there. We played him purposely a lot in the preseason with the idea that he was going to need those on the field reps too. For a young guy he’s got a lot of reps behind him in our offense.”

Ultimately the Cowboys hope they don’t have to see Vaughan in a game. They view him as a developmental quarterback, but sometimes injuries change those plans. He is just looking forward to being in uniform if Romo cannot play.

“I think it’ll be good, because regular-season games obviously are different in anticipation more than what preseason games are,” Vaughan said. “So I think it’ll be good for me to just be in the game and kind of feel it without actually playing necessarily right away and hopefully Brandon is able to make it through the game no problem. But it’s my job to be prepared and dressed out and ready to go if something does happen.”

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