Quote Originally Posted by Ronbo
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articl...s/sports01.txt



Hilliard: ‘It was the worst pain I’ve ever felt’
Posted: Wednesday, Aug 16, 2006 - 11:31:08 pm PDT
By CARL HENNELL
The Daily Inter Lake



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.”

I have twice been present when an individual tore an achilles and it is a very painful injury just to watch!!!! The Achilles tears when a player executes an explosive movement and when I witnessed the injuries I heard a popping sound both times.

For my Griz friends the glass is half full. Hilliard will be off his feet for a few months but this is an injury where he can get back to 100%. It will take an entire year for Lex to rehab and the rehab is arduous but Lex will be just as good next year at this time.

If this had happened the 2nd week of October this situation would have been much worse.