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B L U E - W H I T E G A M E P R E V I E W (with 2.5 TFL and two sacks) in 10 games last year. Earning a sack in the first game of the season and two more assisted sacks against Northwestern and Michigan, Buchholz suffered a setback the week after Penn State's victory over the Wolverines. During the first defensive se- ries of the game at Ohio State, he had to be carted off the field with a lower-leg in- jury, and when he reappeared later on the sideline, it was with his left foot in a boot and a pair of crutches under his arms. Although the exact nature of the injury was never disclosed, in keeping with James Franklin's policy, Buchholz missed the rest of the regular season, including the loss at Michigan State that followed the heartbreaker at Ohio State. Penn State combined for only two sacks apiece in those midseason losses to the Buckeyes and Spartans, and Buchholz acknowl- edged how badly he wanted to play in the games. "It definitely hurt," he said. "I think the games would have had a different out- come if we had played [offensive tackle Ryan Bates, too], but obviously there's nothing you can do about injuries." Buchholz returned for the Lions' 35-28 victory against Washington in the Fiesta Bowl, noting that the injury could have been even worse than what it amounted to. After the season, he set out to lose weight and ended up dropping between 20 and 25 pounds. When he weighed in this spring, he was at about 255. "I lost that in less than a month," he said. "It's pretty easy for me to do that, so I'm just trying to figure out what's best for me right now. That's kind of where I'm at." Buchholz joked that the secret to his weight loss was fewer Peanut M&Ms, but there was more to it than that, of course. He combined his decreased caloric intake with an intensified workout regimen and higher protein consumption, leading to better overall health. The early results have been to Buch- holz's liking. Although he claimed the decision didn't require much thought, he said his on-field speeds have been better, while his body is not as vulnerable to the wear and tear that 280 pounds can often cre- ate. "I figured I would do it, get my body right, get it better and see what I could do with that weight," he said. "We get our body fat tested and our body weight tested a lot, and [the coaches] know I've been losing all this weight and they're perfectly fine with it. They tell me every day how much better my body looks. So I think it's a good thing. "It's not that I was unhealthy before. I just think it would be cool to be at this weight and be able to play at the same level, just to have 30 pounds less on my body." Described by defensive coordinator Brent Pry during the 2017 season as hav- ing a chance to be "one of the better D- linemen to come through" Penn State, Buchholz isn't worried about where he stands in the program's hierarchy of out- standing players. He said he appreciated Pry's comment but added that individual acclaim isn't what drives him to be great. "It's not that I hope to be the best de- fensive lineman. I just hope to be the best player I can be so that I can help our team win," he said. "I may not have the best numbers, but I just hope to be able to help out as much as I can to help us win. So I would say I'm doing a pretty good job so far of doing that. "That's my number one thing, just to be able to help out the defense and help out the team as much as I can. Being the best defensive lineman isn't really on my radar. It's not like I wouldn't want to be, but I just don't think that's my number one focus." To Buchholz, the team's successes are what matter most. And if that means he sees substantial action at defensive tackle, so be it. "I could care less where I play," he said, "as long as I can help the team out in any way possible." ■

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