Checking in with former North Murray standout Chaisen Buckner
Jul. 31—On top of all the life changes that come with attending and playing college football at a service academy, North Murray High School graduate Chaisen Buckner has dealt with the added complications of COVID-19 regulations in his first two years as a middle linebacker at the United States Naval Academy.
"The first two years have been pretty crazy," said Buckner, a basketball and football standout for the Mountaineers before his 2020 graduation. "COVID really had its hand in that. We were super strict with COVID regulations and lockdowns. Half my freshman year I was in quarantine. It was my first time to be away and at a military school, so it was a lot different."
Three of Navy's scheduled games in 2020 were canceled because of COVID. Between quarantining and his inexperience on the collegiate level, Buckner didn't see the field in 2020.
Regulations for COVID prevention continued throughout the 2021 season.
Navy attendees are required to wear their uniforms to class, but a protective face mask became an addition to that uniform whenever Buckner was indoors on campus. That rule was lifted this March.
"They've been a couple of wild years, but a lot of good has come out of it," Buckner said. "We have a lot of rules and regulations, not even counting the rules and regulations of the Navy itself."
Buckner began seeing action in the latter portions of the 2021 season, especially on punt coverage. As he heads into the 2022 season, with the strictures of COVID protocols reduced but the usual service academy regulations still in place, Buckner expects an increased role on special teams and a spot in the linebacking corps.
"I'm going to be involved more in special teams — instead of just one team I may be on all of them — and I plan to be in the rotation at middle linebacker, too," Buckner said. "We have three or four guys that have the potential to rotate in."
Despite the buttoned-down lifestyle he's had to adjust to in his first two years with Navy, Buckner doesn't regret his choice to attend a military academy.
"It's not for everyone. I still think about it sometimes. But I know I made the right decision. Aside even from the military aspects, you have a lot of high-achievers around you at all times, so it really kind of pushes you."
Even among high-achievers, Buckner still manages to stand out. Buckner is studying robotics and control engineering, and he was named to the American Athletics Conference All-Academic team after his freshman year.
"It's a lot to manage on top of a rigorous academic schedule and obviously being a Division I football player, but the more you get used to it, the easier it gets," Buckner said. "It's a great experience and I'm excited to serve."
Buckner wants to either take a ground combat or pilot role in the Marine Corps during his required service after he finishes at Navy.
"I'll have a great career after graduating regardless of what I do," Buckner said.
Buckner had decided on a major in engineering before entering college.
"I think it's the future of a lot of our society, so I just thought learning about that will be practical once I do get out of the military," he said.
At North Murray, Buckner was a member of the first football region championship-winning team in 2019 and the school's first region championship team in boys basketball during his junior year.
"The further removed I get, the more and more I miss it. I find myself going back and looking at old game clips and basketball highlights," Buckner said. "Reminiscing with teammates really makes you miss it."
