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K/P Ben Buchanan (official thread)

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Dispatch

Buchanan’s hard work gives him advantage
Westerville Central kicker can boom field goals, punts and kickoffs
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Steve Blackledge
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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JEFF HINCKLEY DISPATCH

Ben Buchanan is no stranger to practice. Starting as a sixth-grader, he dedicated himself to the art of kicking in all its forms.
Recognizing that he wasn’t blessed with the size, speed or strength of many of his sixth-grade classmates, Ben Buchanan sought out a specialty to call his own.

"My dad (Tim) and I sat down and discussed how I could start working really hard at something now so maybe I could excel by the time I got to high school," Buchanan said. "I had played soccer up to that point, so the idea of kicking came up. Dad said, ‘OK. Let’s find somebody to work with you.’ So we just called up (former Ohio State kicker) Dan Stultz on the phone and the rest is history."
Now a 6-foot, 185-pound junior at Westerville Central, Buchanan is regarded as one of the top punters and kickers in Ohio, if not the Midwest. He attained that status with more than just a strong leg.

"He found his thing and just worked and worked and worked at it," Westerville Central coach Bob Fresch said. "When all of us coaches are at the school on Sundays for meetings, there’s Ben out there on his day off working on his kicking and punting."

But Buchanan is keenly aware that many major-college programs are reluctant to burn a scholarship on a specialist. Even the best kickers and punters often are coaxed into walking on and later being awarded scholarship money. That’s why Buchanan from the outset has trained for the trifecta — punting, field goal kicking and kicking off — and has associated himself with the likes of former Buckeyes Stultz, Mike Nugent and Andy Groom, and former Ohio University punter Matt Miller.

"Kicking and punting is like a fraternity all its own, and everyone goes out of the way to help people get better," Buchanan said.
During the summer, Buchanan excelled in camps at Ohio State, Penn State and Notre Dame. At the inaugural Buckeye Kicking Academy, he won the punting and kicking competition. In the latter, he made successive field goals of 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 yards.

"Going to all those camps was a great opportunity to show schools what I have and to get my name out there early enough," he said. "I wanted to put myself in control of my own destiny."

In a game against Jonathan Alder on Sept. 8, Buchanan narrowly missed a 61-yard field goal attempt. The state record is 60 yards by former Ohio State kicker B.J. Sander for Cincinnati Roger Bacon in 1998.

"I’ve told Ben that if we’re near midfield, I won’t hesitate trying a field goal, especially since the high-school rules place the ball at the 20 if a miss reaches the goal line," Fresch said. "He has legitimate 60-yard range, and I don’t take that for granted because a lot of coaches have difficulty finding someone consistent from 30 to 35 yards out, let alone with range of 40 or better."

Buchanan’s punting is no less impressive. He is averaging 41.1 yards per punt, and 60 percent of his kickoffs have gone into the end zone for touchbacks.

"It never ceases to amaze me what this young man is capable of," Fresch said. "He’s so accurate, it’s uncanny."
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From email:

Despite the rainy and windy conditions Friday night, Ben kicked two field goals including a 54 yard bomb through the center of the uprights! His longest punt was 60 yards. He made an unofficial recruiting visit with the Buckeyes at the Penn State game. Ben had a great time! It was a first class experience! The Bucks do it right. He met with many of the coaches including Coach Gillum, Coach Alles, Coach Peterson and Coach Tressel. He is planning another visit.
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Via email:

The Ohio High School Athletic Association just posted Ben's 54 yard field goal in the record books. It is the longest field goal made in Ohio this year and among the top 5 longest ever made in Ohio history. Amazingly, it is one of the two longest field goals ever made by a Junior in Ohio High School Football History.
 
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Via Email update:

Ben had another solid year as punter, kicker and at receiver. As a punter, he lead all of Central Ohio in punting in all statistical categories in all 6 divisions! He had 54 punts for 2205 yards for ~ 41 yard average. His 41 yard average is huge when you consider he had 28 directional target punts out of bounds or to the sideline preventing returns (15 punts were inside the 20, 3 inside the 10, and 1 (51 yard into the wind) inside the 1 yard line). Amazingly, because he is a fast two-step punter, he had no punts blocked, shanked, nor returned for touchdowns all season.

His 54 yard field goal was a record setter for a Junior in Ohio Prep. History and he also converted field goals from 47, 44, 40, 33 and a 29 yard go ahead 4th quarter game winner. He remains perfect on all extra points now for 19 consecutive games. 80% of his kickoffs went out of the endzone for touchbacks.

He worked just as hard in the classroom this quarter getting a 3.99 GPA in the Honors and Advanced Placement program. Earlier this week, his opposing coaches selected him to the All Ohio Capital Conference squad as the 1st Team Kicker and 1st Team Punter. Ben is the only kicker/punter/specialist ranked in the Top 20 Ohio Prospects (2008) in Bill Kurelic's, Ohio Football Recruiting News Sept., Oct., & Nov., 2006.

Ben Buchanan Westerville Central High School, Division 1, Football
6' 0" 185 lbs, Honors & Advanced Placement GPA 3.99
Five Time Scholar - Athlete, Kicker/Punter/ Wide Receiver
2006 Ohio Capital Conference Central Champions
2004 All Ohio Kicker, Class of 2008
2006 Football Statistics
Kicking:
- 54 yard FG in mud, 47* (9/22/06), Longest FG made in Ohio in 06 (High School, College or Pro), 2nd longest field goal ever made by a Jr. in Ohio Prep History!
- Longest field goals made: 54, 47, 44, 40, 33, 29 yds, attempted 59, 62, 63 yards
- Made consecutive 50, 55 & 60 yard FG?s to win competition, Buckeye Academy - Perfect on all extra points attempted as a Junior.
- 19 game consecutive extra point streak continues, perfect on all extra points (28)
- 80% of kickoffs into or out of the end zone for touchbacks (24/30).
- Go-ahead 29 yard field goal, game winner against Delaware Hayes late 4th qtr.
- 1st team All Ohio Capital Conference Kicker (2006)
Punting:
- 54 total punts / 2,205 total yards / ~ 41 yard average (Lead all of Central Ohio)
- 15 punts inside the 20, 3 punts inside the 10, 1 punt (51 yards into wind) inside 1 - 28 directional target punts by design out of bounds or sideline preventing return
- 35 punts turned the field around for the defense (minimum inside the 30 yrd line) - No punts blocked, shanked nor returned for TD?s all season. (Two-step punter).
- Final statistical leader in all categories in all 6 divisions in Central District, Ohio
- Longest punt: 65 yards at Columbus Crew Stadium
- 1st team All Ohio Capital Conference Punter (2006)
Recruiting:
- Only punter/kicker/specialist ranked in the Top 20 Ohio Prospects (2008) by Bill Kurelic in Ohio Football Recruiting News, (Sept., Oct., & Nov, 2006).
- Since September 1, 2006 actively recruited by Ohio State, Notre Dame, Purdue, Indiana, Northwestern, Cincinnati, Ohio University among others in Div. 1-3.
- Attended recruiting visits thus far to Ohio State, Cincinnati, and Ohio University.
11/01/06
 
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wadc45;672163; said:
I really would like to see Ben in next year's class...
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Any chance he would gray-shirt? I'm sure he'll have plenty of nice scholarships to choose from, but I'm not sure if we'll have enough room to take a kicker next year, especially if we end up taking 19-20 this year.

He would red-shirt as a freshman anyways, so it might not be a bad option if the staff is interested in going that route, and he the desire to be a Buckeye...
 
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BG $

2/26

By BK...Ben did not make it down yesterday due to illness. He will be at OSU's Pro Day.

If Ben would be open to grayshirting, I would love to see him be the next scholarship kicker...
 
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