Mark Mariakis

DeVaughn Buchanan deals with a personality disorder every day during football season, and he gets therapy five days a week for it.

The Ridgeland High School middle linebacker isn't someone you want to run into while wearing an opposing uniform. Meet him off the field, though, and you'll see an easy smile and likely hear a joke or two.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior deals with his multiple personalities the way any high-energy, high-impact football player does: He takes it out on the practice field and during games.

"On the field and off the field, I'm two different people," he said. "I'm probably one of the meanest ones on the field and the person most likely to be joking off the field. It's all about switching into the mode. You've got to have that click about you -- you just have to. I've learned how to control it."

Harnessing his emotions is, according to coach Mark Mariakis, the biggest difference in Buchanan this year. He's always made plays; hence his 250-plus tackles as a sophomore and junior and his 74 so far this year for the 5-1 Panthers. However, there were notable times, especially during emotional games, when he got lost in his intensity and lost his temper and focus.

"Sometimes he has a Jekyll and Hyde personality, and at times he's had to learn to control it," Mariakis said. "It's one thing to get all hyped up, and it's another to be out of control on defense. You can be crazy on defense because it's the emotional part of football, but you need to be under control, and that's what he's done.

"The Lakeview game was a prime example. It was a big game with a huge crowd, and it was the first time he's just concentrated on playing football and not get caught up in the emotion of the game. He just played football that night."

Buchanan, one of only four returning defensive starters from last year's Region 6-AAA champions, is the leader of a surprising unit that has produced four shutouts in six games and last week shut down a powerful Ringgold team, 10-7. Like any good leader, he quickly spreads the credit around.

"It's all about practice. We've got to keep the intensity up for all four days of practice, then transfer that to the game field," Buchanan said. "We've got so many people who have been so eager to play that they come out really focused and ready to play. We're making better plays and better decisions all around. We're more verbal with each other, and that keeps more people in the game."

Mariakis is already dreading that first practice next year without Buchanan, who he says may be the best player the school has produced.

"Buck brings a factor to the defense, just his presence, that can't be coached," Mariakis said. "When Buck is on his game, he's as good as we've coached because he's got a knack to get to the football. He's got that instinct that you look up and he's there. He's so fast in his reaction, it's almost impossible to get to him as a blocker."

Others have taken notice, with schools such as Clemson, North Carolina State, Memphis, Georgia Southern and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga showing heavy interest. A bit small to be a big-time college middle linebacker, Buchanan will likely move outside or to safety -- if he stays on defense.

"Right now, the only film on him is in the middle, and that's not where he's going to play in college," Mariakis said. "I don't know if that's hurting him or not. He's probably going to be an outside linebacker or a safety because he can run and hit. His future might not be on the defensive side of the ball. He's a good runner and a heck of a blocker, and if we played him both ways all the time, he would be great on that side.

"He's going to bring a lot of attributes to somebody next year. I just don't want to think about it yet."