After injury, LB Borland eases back in for Badgers

MILWAUKEE — After a standout freshman season in 2009, Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland is coming back from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for nearly all of last year. And he’s moving from outside linebacker to the middle, taking over defensive signal-calling responsibilities for a team that’s expected to contend for the Big Ten title — and beyond.

That’s already a lot to ask, but Borland’s biggest challenge might be dialing down his intensity in practice. The 11th-ranked Badgers depend greatly on Borland being healthy, and coaches have brought him along slowly in camp. They don’t want him to do anything that would jeopardize his availability for the Sept. 1 season opener against UNLV.

Borland says he’s trying to find a balance between “being aggressive and being stupid.”