Coaches who land a new job often vow to change a team’s culture, but it’s far less common for them to deliver on such a promise as effectively as Mike Buckner did at the helm of Buchtel football .

In the 1970s, Buckner brought his reversal-of-fortunes blueprint to Buchtel High School , and the turnaround he spearheaded made him a legend in his hometown of Akron .

Although Buckner is also known for his days as a standout football player and respected athletic director, his relatively brief yet brilliant coaching career at Buchtel earned him induction into the Akron Public Schools Athletics Hall of Fame during a banquet on Oct. 18 at Guy’s Party Center.

“This is the epitome of all the awards, if you ask me,” the 81-year-old Buckner told the Beacon Journal.

Mike Buckner used h

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