Highland High School star lineman Buck headed to MVC to continue football career

On Nov. 18, Highland’s Sam Buck verbally announced his choice to attend college and play football next year when he announced via Twitter he would attend Southern Illinois University (Carbondale) in the fall of 2021.

Buck, a 6-3, 295-pound senior who will lead the Bulldogs offensive line at tackle in the spring 2021 season, is definitely glad to have that part of the recruiting process done.

“It feels good, Buck said. “It feels good knowing that I have a full ride (scholarship) and will be able to get my school paid for and I like the area down there and it’s kind of everything I was looking for.”

Buck said after his campus visit Nov. 14, he knew Southern Illinois was the place for him continue his academic and athletic pursuits.

“It’s a full ride (scholarship) and it’s about an hour and 45 minutes from home, so it’s not too far away but it’s far enough to where I’m not coming back all the time. And just the wide variety of majors they have there made it a good fit,” Buck said.

Highland coach Jimmy Warnecke and his staff are excited for Buck.

“I love his choice,” Warnecke said. “I think he can do great things at Carbondale and it’s down there in Southern Illinois. We’ve tried several times to get kids to Carbondale and whether it hadn’t worked on their end or our end or whatever ... I’m really excited to finally have a Saluki. He’s really excited (to be going there).”

Warnecke noted Buck, as the Bulldogs top lineman the past two years, possessed the blocking and mental skills to be recruited by larger Division I schools such as Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri.

“I think with all this covid stuff (going on) and for some of these recruits it meant tough times (in getting recruited) and it’s a very unfortunate situation,” Warnecke said. “I think with him not having a senior year to play, it just minimized his exposure.”

Buck said he felt the pandemic slowed down his recruiting as well as disrupting his senior season in moving it to the spring.

“Yeah, I felt like it slowed my recruiting down in not being able to get out to camps and stuff over the summer and not having my season this year. I feel like I really didn’t get the full opportunity to show what I’ve got,” Buck said.

Academically, Buck is leaning toward majoring in forestry or conservation at SIUC next fall.

Warnecke believes Buck can step in and contribute right away for the Salukis.

“There’s no doubt in my mind about him,” Warnecke said. “If he’s not one of the best he’s the best offensive lineman I’ve ever coached, so I think Carbondale is gonna to be extremely happy.”

Buck ready to play right away, signing Dec. 9

Coming in as a freshman, Buck is ready to step in and contribute right away and said he will not shy away from any opportunities for playing time.

“I have no problem stepping up to the plate if they need me to, but I also have no problem with them redshirting me and getting in the weight room and working out in a college program and bulking up some more,” Buck said.

Buck is planning on signing is national letter of intent Wednesday, Dec. 9, in a virtual ceremony.

This story was originally published November 23, 2020 at 5:44 PM.