COLUMBUS, Ohio – Linebacker Tuf Borland does not want to spend his time talking about the Achilles injury that sidelined him during spring practice and would rather just focus on the fact that he is "ready to go" as the Buckeyes approach their season opener against Oregon State on Saturday.

"Ready to go" could be very subjective however.

Does that mean we will see Borland this weekend on the field of Ohio Stadium?

The newly-named captain (one of seven) for the Buckeyes is listed on Ohio State's depth chart, albeit not as a starter but it might be hard to bet against Borland from seeing action very soon. Maybe not this week, but soon.

"Thanks to the training staff and the coaches, I am ready to go," Borland said on Tuesday evening.

Details of Borland's injury have been hard to come by and even being asked point blank, Borland declined to confirm if he even had to undergo surgery for the injury.

"It happened pretty early on in spring, it was a pretty normal play, just kind of a freak thing," Borland said.

Baron Browning will get the start at Borland's middle linebacker position according to the depth chart on Saturday.

Teammates and coaches alike have made comparisons to J.T. Barrett's will to get back after a knee injury knocked him out of the Michigan game, only to return a few short days after a procedure to lead the Buckeyes to a Big Ten Championship Game win over Wisconsin.

Missing the entire season was never an option for Borland.

"When it first happened, I really did not have any thoughts on it, I just kind of took it day-by-day," Borland said. "The thing that did keep me going were the people around this program. Every day I came in and saw them working and that motivated me to get back."

According to the Ohio State linebacker, the coaches and trainers are starting to push a little harder as they let Borland test the bounds of what he can and cannot do.

"There have been some restrictions from the training staff and the coaches early (on), but we are starting to increase the load on it here and I am just going to see how it feels moving forward," Borland said.

Many outside the WHAC scoffed at the idea that Borland could be back this season, let alone before November with an Achilles injury, something that generally takes in the neighborhood of a year to recover from.

Anyone who knows Tuf or coaches Tuf knows that with his will, there is a way.

"Tuf is such a committed young man to what he's doing," defensive coordinator Greg Schiano said earlier this week. "He's made incredible progress. As a coach and as a father I kind of am hesitant, because that's a serious injury, as you know. But you have to trust the medical people and if they say he can go -- so we'll see by the end of the week we'll figure out what he can and can't do or what he should or shouldn't do."

Ultimately the decision will be dictated by the medical staff, but up until now, Borland has made all of the skeptics look silly.

"I am ready to go."