UM's Hilliard returns rusty, but still dominant

MISSOULA - He's back on track.

With 109 rushing yards Saturday against Southern Utah University, Kalispell native Lex Hilliard now has 2,993 career rushing yards at the University of Montana.

The 6-foot, 235-pound wrecking ball needs to average 108 yards per game for the rest of the regular season to eclipse Yohance Humphery as UM's all-time leading rusher. The playoffs would be a bonus.

The two-time All-Big Sky Conference senior running back returned from last autumn's Achilles' injury with authority, carrying the ball six times in the Grizzlies opening-game drive and capping it with his 35th-career rushing touchdown.

"I feel great," said Hilliard, who didn't see any carries during the Grizzlies' two fall scrimmages. "I haven't taken a live snap in over a year and a half. It was different, for sure."

He managed just 17 yards in that opening drive (2.8 yards per carry) and had four yards on two carries in UM's other drive in the first quarter. But the eight first-quarter carries signaled that Hilliard was, indeed, the main runner in a crowded and talented backfield. He finished with 22 carries.

"Lex's best football is in front of him," UM coach Bobby Hauck said. "My impression is that he was a little rusty. But he was great today - his normal 5 yards per carry."

Hilliard even added a 17-yard reception and was crucial in picking up blitzes and even lead blocking on quarterback draws. He clearly looked winded and a little rusty in his lateral moves.

"I was mostly just trying to catch my breath out there," he admitted.

Still, Hilliard put the load on his back when the Griz needed him most, both physically and mentally.

Ahead just 7-0 in the beginning of the Grizzlies' first drive of the second quarter, Appalachian State's huge upset of Michigan in Ann Arbor was announced in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Hilliard then carried the ball five times for 35 yards in that 17-play, 89-yard touchdown drive that chewed up 7 minutes, 20 seconds of game time.

It was his first, best running of the game - and it didn't go away.

SUU's senior defensive tackle Aaron Fernandez explained what makes Hilliard so great.

"His pad level is what makes him so hard to tackle," Fernandez said. "The hardest part about tackling him is he doesn't run high. He runs with his pads down so you need to put a good wrap on him, otherwise he's going to get away from you. You can't arm tackle a guy like that."