K/P Ben Buchanan (official thread)

[wadc45]

Rivals Profile





Westerville (OH)
Central

Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 175 pounds
GPA: 3.7

An all-conference selection his sophomore season.

Interested in Ohio State, Penn State, Miami (OH), Marshall and Pitt. Also listed as a QB on the Westerville Central roster.

Straight Six with Ben Buchanan

[wadc45]

http://www.cincypost.com/2004/11/30/...1-30-2004.html

Buchanan was named a 2nd Team All-Ohio kicker as a freshman. Impressive...

[crazybuckfan40]

I think we will pass this year on K, b/c of the number on teh roster already and the fact that we have a limite number of schollies.

Hopefully he turns out to be a stud, b/c we could really use a stud kicker in 08'.

Also making All-state as a freshmen is very impressive.

[osugrad21]

Great update on Ben we received via email:

Ohio State has already made an official visit to Ben at Central High this past May during his sophomore year.
Finally, a note to update you on an incredible day this past Saturday for Ben at the Buckeye Kicking Academy. As you may know, Mike Nugent (2005 Groza winner), Andy Groom (2002 Ray Guy winner), and Dan Stultz (2000 All-Big Ten kicker) were in Columbus this Saturday for the Buckeye Kicking Academy held at Upper Arlington High School. NBC 4 did a short segment on the camp. This was a select camp of about 40 of the best kickers/punters in Ohio and Central Ohio invited by Stultz. Invitations were sent out to kickers across the state and frankly the competition was outstanding due to the star power of Nugent, Groom and Stultz. According to Stultz, the level of competition was higher than some notable national camps. Ben attended the camp as a combo (kicker/punter); yet the final competitions included both combos as well as pure Kickers and Punters. Two competitions were held (1.) Punting- which Ben won 1st place! (2.) Kicking- which Ben also won on a 60 yard field goal in
the final. The kicking competition was especially tough with five other kickers hitting field goals from 55 yards! (Candidly,this was the most talented group of kickers I've seen at any of the camps this year). Ben was the only kicker in the entire camp to hit the 60 yard field goal which would tie the state record set by former Buckeye and Ray Guy Award winner B. J. Sander. Ben hit consecutive field goals, alternating from each hash, from 35,40,45,50,55,and 60 yards along with a final 47 yard spiral punt into the wind to beat the best in Ohio and win both 1st place awards. Ben made his 60 yarder on his first attenpt in the final; the 5 other finalists were each given up to two tries at 60 yards and failed. Even at the end of the day, after hitting well over 100 footballs, Ben's kickoffs all sailled out of the end zone! Winning both competitions I'm sure had something to do with his juices flowing on those kickoffs! Stultz and Nugent made no adjustments in Ben's technique. Andy Groom, however, taught Ben a 'new" punt known as!
the "Ozzie", which is an accurate, end over end pooch punt, with good hang time and it stops on a dime to pin a team down inside the 10 -20 yard line. Based on Ben's All-State, All-District and All OCC seasons thus far, together with his outstanding finalist performances at Penn State & Ohio State National Camps where Ben was a top finalist with the best technique, and now the double win at the Buckeye Kicking Academy with a 60 yard field goal against the best, Ben has consistently proven himself on the field and in head to head competition to be the best kicker in the Ohio and is regarded by some (eg. IrishEnvy) as the top rated kicker nationally in the class of 2008. Best of all, Ben remains humble in his life and relies on his faith to guide him each day.

[OSUBucks22]

Sounds like his name should be Ben Bu-"Cannon"... I hope to see him in our class next year...

[fourteenandoh]

Originally Posted by osugrad21

Ben hit consecutive field goals, alternating from each hash, from 35,40,45,50,55,and 60 yards along with a final 47 yard spiral punt into the wind to beat the best in Ohio and win both 1st place awards

Damn!

[Buckeye Nut]

Originally Posted by osugrad21

Andy Groom (2002 Ray Guy winner)

FWIW, Groom did not win the Ray Guy in 2002 although he should've. This kid sounds like a phenomenal prospect and he's right in our backyard. Anybody have any idea where he might be leaning to at this very, very early stage?

[osugrad21]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Nut

FWIW, Groom did not win the Ray Guy in 2002 although he should've. This kid sounds like a phenomenal prospect and he's right in our backyard. Anybody have any idea where he might be leaning to at this very, very early stage?

Good catch...should be 2003.

[Buckeye Nut]

Yep, BJ won it in 2003. We should've had two separte players win it in back to back years. That's something that I don't know if we'd ever see duplicated.

[msj2487]

Ben sounds like a hell of a kicker, hopefully he's a buck by NLOID of 2008...

[RhodeIslandBuck]

If kickers could be 5* players, Ben would definently be one.

[osugrad21]

Here is a little bio background on Ben...also, look for a "Straight Six" feature coming soon:

Ben Buchanan (All-OHIO Kicker Class of 2008)
Westerville Central High School, Division 1, Football/Baseball
DOB: 2/21/90 (AGE-16) 6' 0" 185 lbs Honors GPA 3.7 (4.00)
Kicker/Punter/ Wide Receiver
Character
- Volunteer on medical missionary team to Honduras, Central America
- Volunteer regularly serving meals to homeless families at YMCA soup kitchen
- Started Huddle and present member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)
- Proven work ethic and quiet commitment to faith based community programs
- Member Central College Church, mission service in Central America
- Raised in family with 2 brothers where Character does matter on and off the field
Academics
- Two Sport Scholar-Athlete
- Four time Scholar-Athlete award winner
- 3.7 GPA (4.00) in Honors and Advanced Placement Curriculum at Central High
- Outstanding Student Achievement Award in Health Sciences
- Superintendent’s Advisory Committee (One of 3 student leaders, class of 450)
- 100% Honor role achievement in High school and Middle school
Athletics Football - ALL-OHIO 2^nd team as a Freshman (only Freshman in All divisions & positions)
- ALL Central District, 1^st team (only Freshman in All divisions & positions)
- ALL OHIO CAPITAL CONFERENCE, 1^st TEAM, kicker, Football (Div 1) Soph.
- ALL Central District, Honorable mention team
- 2006 Buckeye Kicking Academy, Top Kicker & Top Punter awards in competition
- Kicked a 60 yard field goal in the final to win 2006 Buckeye Academy competition
- A Top finalist kicker 2006 OSU Kicking camp (#1 technique for entire camp of ~300 kickers and only kicker/punter from class of 2008 selected as finalist).
- A Top Finalist kicker 2006 Penn State kicking camp with a 73 yard kick off
- Kicked game winning FG with 11 seconds remaining against OCC rival, Olentangy
- Two time Outstanding Special Teams player award winner, Central High
- Two time Scholar-Athlete award winner for freshman and sophomore year
- Outstanding Kicker/Punter Award winner, Ray Guy Kicking Academy (age 12)
- (7-9) on varsity field goals off the tee (none missed, two blocked) as a freshman despite fracture to plant leg (by head hunter) in 7^th game of the season
- (5-7) on varsity field goals off the tee as a soph.
- OHIO’s statistical leader in field goals for the entire class of 2008
- (23/24) on extra points (none missed, one blocked due to missing lineman as So.)
- Longest field goal attempted in game (44 yards) was made from left hash
- Punting average following fracture to left hand (42 yards/ in final 3 games)
- 75% of kickoffs into the end zone for touch back as a sophomore
- Regularly practices kicking (field goals and extra points) with no tee
- Top rated kicker nationally (Class of 2008) @ irishenvy.com
- Regional and statewide acclaim by Bill Kurelic @ rivals.com
- Considered one of the most physical kickers nationally in the past 3 years
Baseball
- “Coaches Award” winner for hardest working, dedicated & talented varsity athlete
- Two time Scholar-Athlete Award winner for freshman and sophomore year
- ALL-OHIO CAPITAL CONFERENCE BASEBALL TEAM HM as a Soph.
- .385 batting ave, .437 slugging %, .477 on base % in Ohio’s toughest Div 1 Conf.
- Starting varsity short stop, 2^nd base, and pitcher as a freshman and sophomore
- Winning Varsity record with second lowest Varsity ERA as a freshman pitcher
- Led team in victories on the mound as a sophomore, second in batting ave (.385)
- Only athlete in class of 450 to letter in baseball and football as a Frosh. & Soph.
Coaching
- Trained and coached last 5 yrs by OSU 2000 All Big Ten Kicker Dan Stultz
- Coached in High School by Mt.Union National Champion Kicker Rodney Chenos
- Head Football Coach, Bob Fresch (25 years of football coaching experience)
- Past football camps OSU, Penn St., Notre Dame, Miami, YSU, Ray Guy, Buckeye

Family
- Father, Tim: Graduate and Former Div. 1 College Baseball player at Cornell Univ.
- Mother, Steli: Graduate of Florida Southern College, tennis player, married 20 y
- Brother, Luke: (13) USTA ranked tennis player, competitive distance runner
- Brother, Nick: (9) WYBSL All Star Baseball, football, and tennis player
“What they are saying”
“In my four years as the starting place kicker for the Ohio State Buckeyes, I had the opportunity to work with hundreds of young athletes at various camps across the country. I have seen many phenomenal kickers, but none with the work ethic and drive that Ben Buchanan possesses.”- Dan Stultz, All Big Ten Kicker and 4 year starter for the Buckeyes. Stultz also serves as one of Ben's kicking coaches.
“ One of the best kickers coming out of Central Ohio over the 25 years I have coached. There were indeed some great ones during that time period.”- Robert Fresch, Head Football Coach, Westerville Central Warhawks describing Ben's potential to Division 1 College recruiters.
“His numbers are very impressive. (Ben Buchanan is) ...one of the top 3 kickers in the Class of 2008, if not the top overall. He definitely is one of the most physical kickers I've seen in the past couple years”.- Jason Svoboda, Administrator of Notre Dame's IrishEnvy. Ben attended Notre Dame's 2006 kicking camp this summer.

[OregonBuckeye]

We must get this guy!!!

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by OregonBuckeye

We must get this guy!!!

Going by his "Straight Six" interview, it sounds like we already have.

[BuckWrestler141]

I think this kid has the talent and the roster luck to get an offer. If Buchanan were to red-shirt his freshmen year, Pettrey would be on his last year of eligibility the next season. Meaning Buchanan would be the front runner to be the starting kicker for three straight years.