https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...year-to-this-year-due-to-clean-bill-of-health
TUF BORLAND FEELS “NIGHT AND DAY” DIFFERENCE IN HEALTH THIS YEAR AFTER PLAYING THROUGH ACHILLES INJURY LAST YEAR
Colin Hass-Hill on August 19, 2019 at 5:00 pm
Urban Meyer already knew. He knew Tuf Borland wouldn’t miss a game.
So when Borland suffered an Achilles injury during a practice in the spring of 2018, he immediately expressed confidence that the middle linebacker would return by the time the season began.
“He’s a little bit like J.T. Barrett,” Meyer said on March 26, 2018. “You say he’s out for a while, and he’s not going to be out that long.”
A few months later, Borland proved him right.
His teammates voted him as a team captain as a redshirt sophomore, and he played in every game, starting 11 of them. However, Borland didn’t have a banner season on the field. Along with fellow starters Pete Werner and Malik Harrison, the linebackers drew a massive amount of criticism about their performance from the team’s fans, crescendoing in the Buckeyes’ 49-20 loss to Purdue.
Questions about whether Borland was still hindered by his Achilles injury arose as the 14-game campaign dragged on. Throughout the hailstorm of criticism, Borland steadfastly refused to acknowledge whether his speedier-than-usual return to the field had any effect on his play.
Now that time has passed and the Buckeyes are about to enter the 2019 season, though, it has become more clear that Borland wasn’t playing at full strength. His roommate and fellow captain, Jordan Fuller, acknowledged as much on Monday.
“I would say he wanted to be on the field as fast as he could, and I don't think he was probably 100 percent out there,” Fuller said. “It's fun seeing him go right now.”
Cont'd ...
TUF BORLAND FEELS “NIGHT AND DAY” DIFFERENCE IN HEALTH THIS YEAR AFTER PLAYING THROUGH ACHILLES INJURY LAST YEAR
Colin Hass-Hill on August 19, 2019 at 5:00 pm
Urban Meyer already knew. He knew Tuf Borland wouldn’t miss a game.
So when Borland suffered an Achilles injury during a practice in the spring of 2018, he immediately expressed confidence that the middle linebacker would return by the time the season began.
“He’s a little bit like J.T. Barrett,” Meyer said on March 26, 2018. “You say he’s out for a while, and he’s not going to be out that long.”
A few months later, Borland proved him right.
His teammates voted him as a team captain as a redshirt sophomore, and he played in every game, starting 11 of them. However, Borland didn’t have a banner season on the field. Along with fellow starters Pete Werner and Malik Harrison, the linebackers drew a massive amount of criticism about their performance from the team’s fans, crescendoing in the Buckeyes’ 49-20 loss to Purdue.
Questions about whether Borland was still hindered by his Achilles injury arose as the 14-game campaign dragged on. Throughout the hailstorm of criticism, Borland steadfastly refused to acknowledge whether his speedier-than-usual return to the field had any effect on his play.
Now that time has passed and the Buckeyes are about to enter the 2019 season, though, it has become more clear that Borland wasn’t playing at full strength. His roommate and fellow captain, Jordan Fuller, acknowledged as much on Monday.
“I would say he wanted to be on the field as fast as he could, and I don't think he was probably 100 percent out there,” Fuller said. “It's fun seeing him go right now.”
Cont'd ...
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