Not many people in the state of Mississippi have ever heard of Lamarion Buchanan.
But that could all be changing soon for the junior from Central Holmes.
Buchanan enters the 2022 season poised for a breakout year. The speed back has been hard at work in the offseason after leading the Trojans in rushing last year with 600-plus yards and 13 TDs.
Since ending the season last year with a semifinal loss to eventual state champion Greenville Christian last year, Buchanan has dedicated himself to the weight room and spent a good portion of the summer going to football camps.
“He has dedicated himself to the weight room and has gained almost 16 pounds since last fall,” Central Holmes coach Mitch Womack said. “I told him there is nothing wrong with being 5-foot-10 but he has to chance his body a little more if he wants to play college football. He knows that and is working on that. He finds out what he needs to do and goes after it and that’s one of the things that I love about him.”
After sharing carries with Jurdan Engle last year, Buchanan will be the featured back for the Trojans this season.
“He was our leading rusher last year and he and Jordan Engle split time last year,” Womack said. “He had over 600 yards last year and I think he had 13 touchdowns and caught the ball a few times. So we are going to lean heavy on him. He has made himself a little bit bigger and has made himself a little more durable. He is going to be our primary back. He knows that and the team knows that. He is part of an offense where we have good skill and good speed. He is a kid that is going to open up more success for other kids to have success. He knows that he is going to get his touches but he also understands that if people key on him, he will be used to set up to open up somebody else.”
This past summer, Buchanan has been to camps at Mississippi State, Ole Miss and in Naples, Fla., Montgomery, Ala., and Houston, Texas.
“The thing about Lamarion is his ceiling is still so high,” Womack said. “He is still learning the game but his progressions over the last couple of years have really come along. He has gotten so much better with his burst, his hands and handling the football. He can be versatile. He can play the slot, he can play tailback but like I told the coach at Mississippi State, he is still learning the game. He has got so many talents that he is yet to even touch.”
Buchanan stands at 5-foot-10 and weighs 184 pounds and runs a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash.
Womack said he thinks Buchanan is a sleeper in the 2023 recruiting class.
“He is kind of that sleeper kid,” Womack said. “The way college football is right now with the transfer portal, it’s difficult for kids unless you are the four or five-star kid. It’s hard for a kid like Lamarion. I have talked to some of the coaches about him but he is still at the beginning stages of his development in the recruiting process. Most of these kids peak so early but he’s not that kid. He takes coaching extremely well. He is disciplined and he is humble and he’s not going to be a problem. Those are his good attributes. His only negative attribute is he’s a little on the small size right now.”
Buchanan said he hopes the camps will help get him recruited but also hopes he can use some the tips and drills he has picked up to help his teammates.
“I am excited to see him in the videos that he and his dad send me from these camps of him doing something new,” Womack said. “I see him making those progressions in those videos so it’s exciting to me and the kids. Everybody is watching him and paying attention to what he is doing. So the anticipation of waiting to see him on Friday night and what it all climates to is something that is really special.”
College athletics is no stranger to the Buchanan family. His older brother, Leroy Buchanan, played college basketball at Northeast Mississippi Community College and Murray State before playing with the Memphis Grizzlies
“Dad knows what it takes and is going to go the extra mile for him,” Womack said. "I told his dad after his first camp, the biggest thing he needed to get from that is see other kids getting recruited and see how they perform and see where you are at and what you need to do. It was a big eye-opening experience for him.”
With the summer camps over and the season about to start, Womack said he thinks Buchanan will have a big season that could lead to bigger things.
“I told him that if he has the year we hope he has and he continues to work on his body and work on his craft as the year goes on, when the camps and showcases come up, those opportunities will come up,” Womack said. “I have talked to the junior college coaches about him. They like his speed and like his feet. He has really good feet but size is an issue. He has worked on his hands, he just has to do more and produce more.”
