From Quitting Football To Potentially Starting For FIU, Jaheim Buchanon Has Made It

As position battles really begin to get intense throughout fall camp, one of those is at the center position and Jaheim Buchanon prepares to take on the challenge

FIU Athletics

MIAMI, FL - Mike MacIntyre and the Florida International Panthers kicked off their fall camp on Wednesday with a strong practice. One of the biggest questions entering the season is what the offensive line will shape up to look like, with the center position being one of the biggest questions.

Jaheim Buchanon, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman who saw action in three games last year will be competing for the starting center job with veteran center John Bock II out for most of the season.

For Buchanon, it wasn't all football for him as he decided to quit early on in his athletic career to focus on basketball.

"Me and the coach had some miscommunication," said Buchanon. "When I was a kid I didn't know any better. He was telling me to play offensive line and I felt like I was a running back. I wanted to stick to my position and he wasn't going for it."

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After playing for the Orlando Outlaws youth program for three to four years, the Panthers' offensive lineman moved to Fort Myers. He went back into football during his middle school days and finally went to the offensive line, but he was a ball boy before joining the team. By seventh grade, Buchanon was playing on the offensive line.

Although Buchanon is now at center for the most part, he only had one year of experience playing it in high school.

"When I came in my freshman year, I played right tackle," said Buchanon. "I started at right tackle for Leigh High. The next year I moved to left tackle. I played left tackle for two years and my coach told me that I am going to college to be a center, so he just moved me to center my senior year and I had a great year at center and the rest is history."

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Winding down, Buchanon had a decision to make through the seven offers he had, with four FBS schools including FIU and in there was FCS powerhouse Florida A&M. Buchanon went close to home with FIU, where he has a chance to become a starter come Week One.

"I'll be pretty nervous," said Buchanon when asked about potentially starting week one against the Indiana Hoosiers. "I'm a redshirt freshman, but I feel like I'll rise to the occasion. It's part of the job, it's what we do. After the first drive, get the jitters out, we just playing football."

The Panthers will continue their fall training as they prepare for week one against the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday, August 31st at 3:30 PM ET on the Big Ten Network.