Hilliard: 'It was the worst pain I've ever felt'

Griz coach Bobby Hauck: 'I feel worse for him than the team'

Four guys said they heard it pop. Lex Hilliard knew right away what it was.

Three days later, nearly all of Griz Nation is coming out of a state of shock.

Hilliard, the University of Montana senior running back who was on pace to becoming the school's all-time leading rusher, tore his Achilles' tendon Monday afternoon in practice and has been lost for the season.

"I was just coming out of my stance and it popped," Hilliard said. "We were in a goal line drill going against linebackers, who were trying to stop us from getting into the endzone. I didn't even get touched. I just exploded out of my stance and then I was on the ground. I knew right away what it was. Four other guys standing behind me said they heard it pop. I thought it was really loud - but that's probably because it was in my body. It was the worst pain I've ever felt."

The Achilles' tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. It is the largest tendon in the human body.

"It (the calf muscle) didn't ball up that bad - I don't know why because it (the tendon) was completely seperated," Hilliard said. "It (the tendon) ended up a little bit below my calf."

Grizzlies coach Bobby Hauck was watching another drill and did not hear the injury.

"He was hurting and he is a pretty tough guy but I really didn't know a whole bunch was wrong with him with the way he was acting," Hauck said. "It's for him to say but I think he was a little more disappointed than in pain once he realized he couldn't move his foot. Once he couldn't move his foot, he knew it was a serious issue and that it was an injury that he wasn't going to get up from."

The former Flathead High School star came out of surgery Tuesday at about 9 p.m. and by Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. feeling was beginning to creep back into his leg. Dr. Larry Stayner performed the surgery at Community Medical Center.

"He (Stayner) did a great job," Hillliard said. "He took his time and is somebody I can trust. I know he cares about me and about the game and I've seen players come back after surgeries he's performed."

Stayner played football at Boise State University from 1989-91 and won all-conference honors as a tight end. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the ninth round of the 1992 draft but a knee injury ended his career in his rookie year.

Hauck said that running backs Brady Green, a senior, and junior I-A transfers Reggie Bradshaw and Greg Coleman will see plenty of action.

"I don't know if we will name a starter." Hauck said. "We will roll them through some sort of a rotation. This is hard to take. We lost our best player. He (Hilliard) is such a tremendous guy. This is just awful to see. He has put in so much effort. I mean, sure, this is really tough from the team standpoint because he was our best player but I feel worse for him because he has worked so hard."

Hilliard must now endure the long, painful road to recovery. He is not allowed to put pressure on his foot for a month.

"Then it's all about rehab," Hilliard said. "I'll be here the whole time supporting my team. I can't be there physically, but I can support them emotionally. This is tough. I normally get up at 6 a.m. to start my day for football and I've been doing that for a long time, but this morning I didn't get to do that.

"I've been joking with my friends that maybe I should become a professional XBox player."

Since Hilliard did not redshirt his freshman season, he will medically redshirt this season and be available to break Griz records next season.