Buchanan considered for Allstate AFCA Good Works Team – Ohio State Buckeyes
7/18/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 18, 2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio – As good as Ohio State senior punter Ben Buchanan has been on the field – he ranked sixth and third nationally last year in punts inside the 20 and 10, respectively – he is even better off the field in terms of community service efforts, and for that reason he is under consideration for the 2012 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
As one of college football’s most prestigious off-the-field honors, the award co-sponsored by the American Football Coaches Association, recognizes a select group of college football players – 11 will be named from the Football Bowl Subdivision – committed to making a difference in their communities.
Buchanan, a three-time Academic All-Big Ten Conference honoree and a four-time OSU Scholar-Athlete who graduated with his degree in strategic communications in June, has a community service resume that includes three medical missions to Honduras, Central America. His most recent mission came after his freshman year at Ohio State (summer of 2009). He spent the 2012 spring break working for the Collier County (Florida) Habitat for Humanity, building houses for the underprivileged. Buchanan also is a regular member of groups of OSU football players who visit local hospitals, schools and food pantries.
A finalist for the 2011 Wuerffel Trophy, which is presented to the college football player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement, Buchanan is set to be Ohio State’s starting punter for a fourth consecutive year in 2012. Last year his 41.3-yard average was fifth-best in the Big Ten and his 37.4-yard net average was fourth.
Most impressive was Buchanan’s placement. He punted 70 times – the most by a Buckeye in seven years – with not even a third of them able to be returned, and for a mere 5.2 yards per return. He had 25 punts fair caught and 27 were downed inside the 20 with 13 of them downed inside the 10.
Buchanan’s 41.2-yard career punting average ranks eighth at Ohio State and 86 of his 118 career punts have been either fair caught or downed inside the 20.
Since 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team has shown a spotlight on the countless “good works” and remarkable stories of service by student-athletes at all levels of college football competition. Award recipients represent the sport’s finest in terms of character and leadership in the community.
The roster of 2012 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team award recipients will be announced in September.
Buckeyes on 2012 Preseason Watch Lists:
Lott IMPACT Award – Senior DL John Simon
Bednarik Award – John Simon and Junior DL Johnathan Hankins
Maxwell Trophy – Sophomore QB Braxton Miller
Mackey Award – Senior TE Jake Stoneburner
Lou Groza Award – Junior K Drew Basil
Outland Trophy – Johnathan Hankins
Nagurski Award – John Simon and Johnathan Hankins
Butkus Award – Sr. LB Etienne Sabino
Lombardi Award – John Simon, Johnathan Hankins and Jake Stoneburner
Biletnikoff Award – Junior WR Corey Brown
Davey O’Brien Award – Braxton Miller
Allstate AFCA Good Works Team – Ben Buchanan
