[media-credit name=’JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Wow, bet you didn’t see him coming.

Bold, persistent and resilient, Chris Pressley has stepped out of the shadow created by a significant injury last season, and he’s not coming quietly.

Starting with the Northern Illinois game two weeks ago, Pressley has started to make a significant contribution to the Badgers’ offense as a fullback. Not bad for a player who, at 6 feet, 1 inch tall and 259 pounds of seemingly solid muscle, had previously seen himself as an offensive lineman.

“Fullback is something that I really like doing,” Pressley said. “I love blocking for these guys. They look at me like they want me blocking for them, and I’m going to be out there running right behind them.

“I just take it as an honor to block for such a great running back. I got a chance to block for (Brian) Calhoun, and P.J. (Hill), and hopefully I’ll be able to block for more running backs in the future.”

A junior from Woodbury, N. J., Pressley came to Madison as a versatile high school player who excelled both as a linebacker and a fullback, rushing for 1,630 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior.

“My role as a fullback is something that I had to grow into,” Pressley said. “I came in here recruited as a running back, an oversized running back, and it’s one of those things where you take a job, and you’re going to be in there getting dirty.”

Unfortunately, the path to undertaking a starting position at fullback took a long detour for Pressley.

In 2004, Pressley appeared in five games as a reserve running back, rushing 11 times for 36 yards. In 2005, he earned his first letter after appearing in 12 games with three starts at fullback. However, it was in 2006, when Pressley was slated to start at fullback, that he suffered a lower leg injury in fall camp and was redshirted, halting his long-awaited role in the offense.

Wisconsin running backs coach John Settle has noticed improvements Pressley has made because of his setback.

“When he got injured, he had something taken away from him that he really enjoyed,” Settle said. “He was able to miss it. If you’ve ever lost something, and you get it back, you realize the value of it. I think he has come out and poured himself into the game. Everything is clear and has more meaning for him.”

As both a veteran on the team and as a player who has had to battle back from season-ending injuries, Pressley has had quite an impact on his teammates as well. Bill Rentmeester, a junior backup fullback, sees Pressley as a leader both on and off the field.

“Chris is a vocal guy. I’m not as vocal, so he speaks his mind and tells people what he needs them to do,” Rentmeester said. “He’s a physical leader; he’s a physical force on the team. You see him in the weight room and you say, ‘I want to be like him. I want to work twice as hard and imitate exactly what he’s trying to do.'”

Before the Northern Illinois game, Pressley was having a relatively quiet season statistically. That all changed in the first quarter, when Pressley made a six-yard reception — the first catch of his career.

Then came another first: a 10-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter. To Settle, it was a moment for Pressley’s hard work to finally come to light.

“The success that he has had on game day has generated an energy for the offense,” Settle said. “This is a guy that doesn’t get the ball very much, but when he gets the opportunity, he makes the best of it.”

However, preparation the week before the Northern Illinois game didn’t come without serious distractions. Tragic circumstances surrounding various members in Pressley’s family arose, and when speaking about the effect these events have had on him, Pressley is sure to make a clear distinction.

“I try to separate life and football as much as I can,” Pressley said. “I also try to take the lessons that I learn from football and apply them to life. “