Ohio State's Boren reunited with former Michigan teammate
Friday, February 25, 2011
By Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
INDIANAPOLIS - In 2007, two young Michigan offensive linemen - Justin Boren and Steve Schilling - were roommates and good friends.
They envisioned playing together for four years and continuing to build on Michigan's football tradition.
But when coach Lloyd Carr left after that season, so did Boren, transferring to Ohio State. And a friendship was put on ice.
"I had not spoken with him since the day he left Michigan," Schilling said yesterday at the NFL combine.
That's what being on opposite sides of a bitter rivalry can do.
It didn't help that while Boren went on to be part of Big Ten title-winning teams, Schilling had to endure three years under coach Rich Rodriguez, which included unprecedented back-to-back losing seasons before Rodriguez was fired in January.
"There obviously are hard feelings when someone is going to transfer," Schilling said. "You wish he would stay on your team. But Justin is a good guy and he had to make the decision he had to make, and I forgive him for that."
The two were reunited Wednesday at the combine, at dinner.
Schilling called the scene "really interesting. There was that kind of awkwardness at the start."
The conversation soon warmed, though.
"It was good being able to catch up," Boren said. "We talked for awhile. He's still the same guy I remember, and he said the same about me. It was neat."
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