'WHATEVER IT TAKES'
When asked to single out a favorite, Borland didn't hesitate to name Ray … "Ray Nitschke," he said. Surely, he meant another Ray; Ray Lewis, the All-Pro middle linebacker of the Baltimore Ra- vens.
"I like him, too," he said. Too? That would imply Borland really did
name Ray Nitschke, the late but great Ray Nitschke, who last played for the Green Bay Packers in 1972. Nitschke died of a heart attack in 1998. "I'd watch YouTube clips of him; he was an
intense guy," Borland said of ol' No. 66, who played 15 seasons for the Packers. "He had that bar down the middle of his helmet; he was old school."
Jeff Borland — Chris's dad — was also a big
fan of Nitschke and the Green Bay Packers. He grew up in the state of Wisconsin during the glory years; the '60s, the fabled Vince Lombardi years.
Jeff's mom, a staunch fan, was born in Keno-
sha. "Our boys (including Chris) would get dressed up in their Packer paraphernalia," he said, "and they'd call her back and forth during the games." That would be a long distance call to granny from Kettering, Ohio. That's home for Jeff and Zebbie Borland and their seven children: six boys, one girl. But Madison is also home for Jeff Borland, who attended Queen of Peace and Edgewood High School, where he played for the late George Chryst, whose son is UW offensive coordinator Paul Chryst.
Jeff Borland and Paul Chryst shared memo-
ries and traded stories the first time that they met.
Small world, huh? In 2008, Jeff didn't accompany Chris to the
UW's summer camp. Instead he sent his daugh- ter, Sarah, and one of his older boys, Joe, who
"I don't want to say we recruited Wisconsin," Chris' father, Jeff Borland, said. "But we sort of, kind of did."
was convinced his younger brother could play in the Big Ten.
"I was still skeptical," said Jeff Borland, who nonethe- less wanted to make sure his kids felt com- fortable during their stay and had an old friend from Edgewood, John Roach, look after them. As it turned out, Chris Bor- land impressed UW coach Bret Bielema with his versatil- ity by play- ing linebacker, safety, fullback, tailback and H-back dur- ing the camp. He also punted and kicked field goals.
That earned
him a scholarship offer, and Borland has been impressing people here ever since. "I don't want to say we recruited Wisconsin," Jeff Borland said. "But we sort of, kind of did." Chris Borland credited Team Borland for helping shape his attitude and competitiveness. "I got the crap beat out of me when I was lit-
tle," Chris said. "My older brothers were always dragging me around and I was playing with their
