Johnny Buchanan is a Throwback to the â€œGolden Yearsâ€ of Football

Saint John Vianney senior linebacker Johnny Buchanan should be the spokesman for “Throwback Thursdays.”

That’s because the 6-foot-0, 230-pound defensive standout plays the game the way it used to be played when football was played for the love of the game and nothing else. Buchanan is cut out of that same mold; he loves the game with every bone in his body and it shows.

Speaking of his body, you have to wonder how it stands up to the punishment of the game as he never steps off the field. He’s the defensive leader from his starting middle linebacker spot then moves over to offense where starts in backfield.

Oh, and by the way, he leads the team in tackles and rushing yards this season.

“That’s just my love of the game,” Buchanan said of never coming off the field. “I’ve always loved playing both running back and linebacker. It’s nothing different from when I was six-years old. I’ve always played both ways and my dad always told me I better perform on both sides of the ball.”

Buchanan’s secret – he inflicts pain, not the other way around. He’s as punishing of a tackler as there is in the state and will take your head off with bone-jarring blows. Then on offense he’ll come at you with the force of a Mack Truck barreling down the highway just to get the extra yard while leaving cleat marks on the back of a defender’s jersey.

“He’s just one of those great special players,” Saint John Vianney head coach Derek Sininsky said of his star player. “When people say a kid loves the game, Johnny truly loves the game. He trains year round and is always focused on football and Delaware is going to get that. I know he’s not 6-4, but don’t be surprised if someday you see this kid playing special teams or linebacker in the NFL.”

In the Lancers’ 42-0 win over Brick Township in week four following his 50-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, Buchanan donned a University of Delaware cap to signify his verbal commitment and held up a Delaware tee shirt to the crowd before finding his parents in the stands to share the moment with them.

As a player Buchanan has helped Saint John Vianney maintain a 38-game winning streak against Shore Conference opposition dating back to the first game of the 2014 season.

In last year’s loss to St. Joe’s (Montvale) in the NJSIAA Non-Public Group III semifinal, Buchanan had a monster game, recording 19 tackles in a losing effort. In his three years playing varsity ball – two as a starter – SJV’s record stands at 31-2.

Saint John Vianney has been ranked second in the Shore Conference all season behind Manalapan and is currently ranked 14th in the state.

Buchanan was a 2016 first-team All-Shore pick and NJ.com second-team All-State selection a year ago when he recorded 139 tackles – eighth in the state, 92 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He also rushed for 433 yards and 11 TDs on 68 attempts averaging 6.37 per carry.

This season he currently ranks 14th in the state with 112 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks and an interception while averaging 11.2 tackles per game.

Buchanan has had a breakout season running the ball and is seventh in the Shore Conference, which has some of the best running backs in the state, with 1,306 yards and 16 TDs on 132 attempts for a 9.9 yards per carry average.

Last week Buchanan ran for a career-high 294 yards and two touchdowns on 29 attempts and 11 tackles in leading the Lancers to a 45-40 win over Camden Catholic in the Non-Public Group III quarterfinals. The Lancers went up, 21-0, in the first half but it was Buchanan’s 40-yard touchdown run that gave them a 42-34 lead with under a minute to play that iced the game.

“He’s like John Riggins was for the Redskins years ago,” Sininsky said of Buchanan’s running style. “He wants the ball 40 times a game getting four, six, 10 yards and then he pops one for 60 yards. Then he doesn’t come off the field, he goes to linebacker. He’s like that Energizer bunny where he’s non-stop. And you know what? He’s strong minded and has a great, great heart. Delaware’s very lucky because he just loves the game.”

The fourth-seeded Lancers faced No. 1 seed DePaul – ranked seventh in the state – last Friday night in the Non-Public Group III semifinals. However, DePaul was just too much for SJV to handle, as the Spartans doubled up the Lancers, 42-21, eliminating them from the playoffs.

Former Texas A & M quarterback and NFL bust Johnny Manzel may own the moniker “Johnny Football,” but if you want a player who exemplifies the true meaning behind that catch phrase, you need not look any further than Holmdel, New Jersey.