Scarlet Sunrise: Former Buckeyes linebacker Tuf Borland joins Wisconsin coaching staff

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Former Buckeyes linebacker Tuf Borland joins Wisconsin coaching staff

How about a little reunion in Madison, Wisconsin? Former Ohio State linebacker Tuf Borland has joined the Badgers’ coaching staff as a defensive graduate assistant. Borland will be working under new Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell, who played at Ohio State in the ’90s and was the Buckeyes’ co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach from 2012-16, including Borland’s freshman year in Columbus.

Borland was a three-time captain for Ohio State, joining quarterback J.T. Barrett in that rare company. The former four-star recruit from Bolingbrook, Illinois, spent five years with the Buckeyes, culminating in a national title game appearance in 2020, a COVID-19-affected season in which he totaled 48 tackles in just seven games. He also had a standout 2018 campaign: That year, Borland bounced back from an Achilles injury to register 67 total tackles, including 33 solos, as well as a career-high 9.0 TFLs and 3.0 sacks, not to mention a pair of forced fumbles.

Borland was a three-time All-Big Ten honorable mention. He wrapped his Buckeyes career with 49 games played and 31 starts.

Borland wasn’t selected in the 2021 NFL Draft, but he did play two games with the Minnesota Vikings that coming season. He was released last year, though. Now, he’s starting his coaching career.

How James Laurinaitis will attack role with vision to be ‘best linebackers coach in the country’

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day didn’t hire James Laurinaitis as a defensive graduate assistant because it makes for a great story: a legendary Buckeyes linebacker returning to Columbus to coach for his alma mater.

Laurinaitis — a three-time All-American, Butkus Award winner, and eight-year NFL veteran — wants to be the best linebackers coach in the country.

After retiring from the NFL, Laurinaitis started a career in media. He was a co-host on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus. Additionally, he did color commentary for Big Ten Network. But Laurinaitis yearned to get even closer to the game he used to play for a living.

So he turned to coaching. And, after a season at Notre Dame in a similar role, Laurinaitis made the move to Ohio State, where he has a vision of what he wants to accomplish.

Check out the Lettermen Row feature on Laurinaitis here.

Defensive line recruiting poses major obstacle for Ohio State in 2024 cycle

The 2024 recruiting cycle will be critical for Ohio State, particularly after the Buckeyes missed on a handful of big-name targets in this most recent class.

Reloading at defensive line will be especially important. The Buckeyes weren’t able to land 2023 defensive ends Keon Keeley, Damon Wilson and Matayo Uiagalelei, despite the fact that, at one point, they were the at the front of the pack in those three recruitments.

Keep in mind, Ohio State has fielded a five-star D-Lineman every season since 2011. It’s a standard for the Buckeyes, who notably produced likely 2022 NFL Defensive Player of Year Nick Bosa, among several other stars at the next level, including Nick’s older brother Joey.

Lettermen Row recruiting analyst Matt Parker examined the top defensive line targets for Ohio State so far in the 2024 cycle. Check it out here.

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Indiana: 210 days

Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 294 days

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