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K/P Ben Buchanan (official thread)

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Ben Buchanan was not ill.

Buchanan was not ill. During live punt team practice, he was roughed and sustained a severe ankle sprain on the Wednesday prior to the New Mexico State game. Buchanan showed a lot of toughness by getting back on the practice field to compete in less than one week!
 
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Buchanan advances in kicking duel
Sunday, April 11, 2010
By Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

On a day when Devin Barclay could have left no doubt about being Ohio State's No.1 kicker, he instead left the door open for Ben Buchanan, who promptly stepped inside.

Neither left yesterday's lackluster kick scrimmage in Ohio Stadium making people forget about Mike Nugent or Aaron Pettrey, but Buchanan made the winning field goal, a 39-yarder for a 27-24 shootout victory for the Gray squad.

"Every practice day is important, but they do put emphasis on the kick scrimmage," said Buchanan, a third-year sophomore from Westerville Central who also punts. "So it was nice to come out here today and hit some quality kicks. I hope the coaches will look at it on film and say, 'He got the job done on that one.'"

Buchanan was 8 of 14 on field-goal attempts, and Barclay was 8 of 15.
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Ohio State football: Buchanan advances in kicking duel | BuckeyeXtra
Clear punting picture

There does not appear to be much doubt about who will handle punting duties. Buchanan has been impressive this spring - yesterday, he averaged 41.5 yards (unofficially) on nine kicks, most of which had good hang time.

The third-year sophomore from Westerville Central punted in one game last year, when departing senior Jon Thoma was ill against Toledo in a 38-0 win in Cleveland Browns Stadium. Buchanan averaged 42.8 yards with a 51-yarder.

"It was huge, having my teammates know I can do it in a game like that," he said. "I look at this coming season. It's not going to be my first start. To be able to compete in a pro stadium and have us have such a great win, and I had a good punt day that day is very encouraging."

Backing up Buchanan is another redshirt sophomore, walk-on Derek Irwin from Tiro, Ohio. He averaged 39.3 yards yesterday on eight kicks.
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http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten.../11/basil-in-running-to-kick-off.html?sid=101
 
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Buchanan may be a 2-for-1 bargain
By RUSTY MILLER, The Associated Press
Friday, April 16, 2010

COLUMBUS ? Ben Buchanan is looking like the best value on the Ohio State football team.

He only takes up one scholarship, yet may end up holding down two jobs.

Buchanan has had a strong spring and is almost a lock to take over for the graduated Jon Thoma and handle the punting for the Buckeyes, who are about two-thirds of the way through their 15 spring workouts.

He's also in the thick of the battle for the place-kicking job with Devin Barclay.

It was Barclay who stepped in a year ago when Aaron Pettrey sustained a knee injury late in the season. All Barclay did was kick the game-winner in overtime against Iowa to clinch the Big Ten title, then boot three more field goals to provide the winning margin in a 26-17 win over Oregon in the Rose Bowl.
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Buchanan may be a 2-for-1 bargain
 
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Fresh Faces: Ohio State
July, 19, 2010

By Adam Rittenberg
My look at three newcomers to watch for each Big Ten team in 2010 continues with Ohio State.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Ben Buchanan, P/K, So., 6-0, 195

Special teams are a bit of a concern entering the season, but Buchanan could put a lot of folks at ease with his play. He takes over the starting punter spot after averaging 42.8 yards on four attempts in 2009. Ohio State finished 41st nationally in net punting last fall, a stat Jim Tressel would like to see improve. Buchanan also likely will handle long field goal attempts for Ohio State and might move into a featured role at kicker if Devin Barclay or Drew Basil doesn't nail down the job.
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Fresh Faces: Ohio State - Big Ten Blog - ESPN
 
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Buchanan puts focus on punting
Monday, August 16, 2010
By Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

0816buchanan200.jpg

Renee Sauer | Dispatch
Ohio State sophomore Ben Buchanan doesn't mind putting place-kicking aside to focus on punting.

Ben Buchanan has given up being a jack-of-all-trades so he could be a master of the most important one.

The Ohio State sophomore arrived from Westerville Central two years ago as one of Ohio's most decorated kickers and punters. He was a three-time All-Ohio pick who held state single-game records for field goals (five) and kick scoring (16) and who was 14 of 16 his senior year.

He spent a redshirt year and last year practicing punts, kickoffs and place-kicks, all the way up through the kick scrimmage this past spring.

But recently, coach Jim Tressel asked Buchanan to specialize in punting. Coming from a man who worships that craft, Buchanan took it as a compliment rather than a disappointment.

"Coach says the punt is the most important play in football," Buchanan said. "That's on our bulletin board for every meeting, so I want to go out there and prove to coach Tressel that I'm worthy of being out there on Saturdays."

If this past weekend was any indication, Buchanan is worthy. In the latest kick scrimmage, Buchanan boomed his nine punts an average of 46.1 yards.

Included were punts of 53, 57 and 60 yards. Most impressive were the three he kicked when backed up to his own 1-yard line, sending all three high and deep for a 47-yard average.

The job is his. The only other punter is walk-on Derek Erwin, who averaged a respectable 40.7 yards, but who clearly is second in this race.
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Buchanan puts focus on punting | BuckeyeXtra
 
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Brandon Castel discusses Buchanon's focus on punting this year.

Ozone

Buchanan Swapping Multi-Talented Roles for One Big One

...

Buchanan tried doing all three things for the Buckeyes last fall, but it led to leg trouble in 2009. He started the game against Toledo in week three as the punter and did quite well in place of Jon Thoma who was out with the flu. He might have also stepped in for Aaron Pettrey when he went down with his injury in week nine had Buchanan not been dealing with his own injury at the time.

With Buchanan unable to go, Barclay stepped in for Pettrey and two weeks later he was kicking the Buckeyes to victory in overtime against No. 11 Iowa.

Although Buchanan would have loved the opportunity to take such a kick, that kick sparked a sequence of events that has allowed Buchanan to become much more focused on what the 2010 Buckeyes need from him.

?Any time you can focus on just one leg swing I think you?re going to become more consistent,? said Buchanan, who is the only scholarship punter on the roster.

?I think that?s what coach preaches is just consistency. I know I can go out there and hit some good balls, it?s just a matter of every time trying to get that repetitive motion.?

He had that repetitive motion going Saturday at Ohio Stadium. He bombed punts for a 45-yard average during the kick scrimmage. That included three out of his own end zone and handful more that went for more than 50 yards.

?I?ve noticed so far that my first week of camp has been great punting the ball,? he said.

Cont'd ...
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Westerville's Buchanan getting it done for OSU
By SETH SHANER
Published: Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Westerville Central graduate Ben Buchanan booted the ball four times for 163 yards, a 40.8 average, in the Buckeyes' home opener against Marshall Thursday, Sept. 2, and the redshirt sophomore relished every chance.

"It was a lot of fun," he said. "It was a great team effort for us to come out and get a win against Marshall.

"I had one start under my belt, but for my first start at the 'Shoe, it was a lot of fun. I thought we were able to pin them deep with some good punts and have a good average. Overall it was a great team victory and it was a lot of fun to have my friends and family there supporting me."

Buchanan averaged 42.8 yards per punt in OSU's win over Toledo at Cleveland Browns Stadium when he stepped in for then-starter Jon Thoma last fall.

Two of Buchanan's punts against the Thundering Herd were placed inside the 20-yard line.

Buchanan wowed Warhawks fans with his field-goal kicking during his prep days, and holds OHSAA records for field goals in a game (five), kick scoring in a game (16 points) and the longest field goal by a junior (54 yards).

He was 14 for 16 on field goal attempts his senior year, with his only misses coming from 50 yards or more, but punting is where he has found his niche at the collegiate level thus far.

"As of right now the coaches have asked me to focus on the punting duties," Buchanan said. "Coach (Jim) Tressel calls the punt the most important play in football, so if I have that position, and do that for the team, then I'm very honored to do so.

"As far as the years to come, I don't know. I'll continue to practice a few (place kicks) on my own, but really punting is where I'm looking to get the most playing time, and hopefully I can help our team to a Big Ten and national championship."

With its big home tilt with Miami just days away, things are coming together for the Buckeyes, according to Buchanan.

"I think a program like Ohio State has a lot of tradition and expectations that comes along with it," Buchanan said, "but we have a lot of great leadership from our senior class this year.

"Coach Tressel is obviously a great leader who we look towards. We know we have high goals this year and we were able to get off to a good start against Marshall this week."
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Columbus Local News: Region > Sports > Westerville's Buchanan getting it done for OSU
 
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Buchanan pleased

Forget for a moment that Ohio State is ranked 117th nationally in net punting. Much of that can be blamed on allowing a 79-yard return against the University of Miami.

Otherwise, sophomore Ben Buchanan of Westerville Central is ranked 69th with an average kick of 39.4 yards. Of his 19 punts, three have gone for 50 yards or longer, and he has placed seven inside the 20-yard line.

"I've really been excited," he said. "I feel like this being my first year starting, I feel I've been able to do a good job for the cards I've been dealt, having an opportunity to deal with some wind, (and) having a lot of our chances just being pooch-punting situations."
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http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten...snt-the-muscle-but-his-leg-brace.html?sid=101

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2f3tKYnLSQ"]YouTube - Ohio State vs. Indian 2010: Ben Buchanan[/ame]
 
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Ben while Ben is not at Andy Groom level yet let's remember a few things
1. He is a sophomore first year starter.
2. This is his first year purely as a punter. (this isn't NCAA 2010 where they can switch it up based on stats)
3. Just like Thoma he suffers from trying to pin them deep often sacrificing distance to keep them from being a touchback.
Yes he's had a few bad punts, but ask yourself this would you rather it be BB or IU's punter. I know my answer.
 
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While he hasn't been spectacular, he's still been pretty good, IMO. The numbers are not a fair indicator of what he's done. The return really screws up the net average and the fact that 4 of his 18 punts came into the wind last week also skew his numbers.

7 inside the 20 versus 2 touchbacks (should have been 8:1 except for a mental lapse penalty last week) - that's a pretty good ratio

Kicking from opponents territory: 5 punts, 3 inside 20, 2 touchbacks - 45.2 gross, 29.2 net
Kicking from OSU 20-50: 11 punts, 4 inside 20, 40.1 gross, 32.4 net (includes TD return, 3 into wind @ Ill, 1 with wind)
Kicking from inside OSU 20: 2 punts, 41.5 gross, 41.5 net (1 into wind at Ill)


Marshall
MAR 40 - 40 gross, 20 net (TB)
OSU 38 - 41 gross, 41 net
MAR 37 - 29 gross, 29 net (I20)
OSU 31 - 52 gross, 50 net (I20)

Miami
MIA 44 - 33 gross, 33 net (I20)
MIA 47 - 41 gross, 41 net (I20)
OSU 21 - 32 gross, 32 net
OSU 32 - 47 gross, -32 net

Ohio
OSU 21 - 32 gross, 32 net
OSU 48 - -21 gross, -21 net (blocked - does not affect average)
OSU 45 - 36 gross, 36 net (I20)
OSU 10 - 51 gross, 51 net
OSU 43 - 43 gross, 40 net (I20)

EMU
NONE

Illinois
OSU 22 - 35 gross, 33 net (into wind)
OSU 4 - 32 gross, 32 net (into wind)
OSU 34 - 56 gross, 57 net (I20) (with wind)
ILL 43 - 43 gross, 23 net (TB) (with wind) - first attempted downed inside 5
OSU 31 - 38 gross, 38 net (into wind)
OSU 43 - 29 gross, 29 net (into wind)

Obviously he could stand to be better, but he's not out there shanking every other kick like BJ Sander was in his first year. He's done a good job not kicking it into the end zone and there haven't been any of the soul-crushing 12-yarders from your own 20. Solid, if unspectacular.

He's already a couple yards better than Thoma was last year and is only a yard off of where Trapasso was for most of his career. Give him time.
 
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