University of Tennessee Athletics
Gilliam Makes Remarkable Comeback
October 21, 2014 | Football
By Ben Mills KNOXVILLE, Tenn. --
UTSports.com
"When it first happened in the third quarter, I just thought I hyper extended my knee, I was going to be fine, you know, just rest the rest of that game," he said.
It was not until the next day that the senior lineman received his devastating news. He had torn his ACL. The former walk-on, who had earned a scholarship the previous spring, had seemingly seen his childhood dream as a starter on the Vols' offensive line end as soon as it had begun.
"Came in the MRI the next day and saw I tore my ACL. I was down for about an hour and stuff, then my family showed up," he said.
As his family began to console him, friends, church members, and Volunteer fans also reached out via social media and overwhelmed Gilliam with encouragement and prayer.
"We started praying, my church started praying, I've had hundreds of people shout me out on Twitter, just in there praying for me," he said.
From the encouragement he drew strength, and it was then, he said, that he decided his season was not finished.
"I just went to Coach Jones and my position coach, Coach Mo', and just told them - I was like, `look, I'm coming back this year,'" he said. "I didn't really care what they kind of told me. From prayer and everything I've kind of received, I just felt like it wasn't over."
Head Coach Butch Jones remembers the conversation well.
"Probably the day after the injury, he said, `Coach I will be back,' and he has kind of willed himself to being back," said Jones." I said, `Let's take it one day at a time and we'll see.' He was adamant with our team doctors and our trainers, and has done a great job of really following their instructions of rehabilitation and working his way back.
"He wanted to be around the team, still wanted to be there nights before the games, was involved in practice, involved in all the meetings, did the extra. He was determined."
The next week, Gilliam met with the University of Tennessee's training staff to discuss his future with the team.
"I talked to the orthopedic doctors we have here (after) the Arkansas State game about a week, a little bit after the week that we played [Utah State], and that whole week we were kind of discussing surgery and stuff," he said. "Then, I brought up the idea of maybe playing on it, and they felt like that was something we could go forward in."
From that point, he began his strenuous rehab. Each day real, tangible progress was made - unheard of for someone just weeks removed from an ACL tear.
"I went straight into rehab and as it felt - you know, they have several machines in there to test your strength - and I just kept hitting the marks and hitting the marks, all the rehab marks, until finally I was back on the field," he said.
"I feel like my strength is pretty good. I'd say 95%. Obviously, they wouldn't put me back out there if they didn't feel like I was close to 100%. And my quad and my hamstring have held up pretty well, and I just keep getting stronger every day."
Gilliam's hard work was rewarded last Saturday against Ole Miss, as he entered the game in the second half to take the place of injured right tackle Coleman Thomas. A mere eight weeks removed from tearing his ACL, the senior lineman was back on the field with his teammates, competing at the highest level against the #3 team in the country - a feat that anyone would have called "improbable," if not "impossible."
"I felt pretty good," said Gilliam. "I felt kinda rusty being out there at right tackle. I've run both of them pretty consistently, but the last I played was left, so I felt a little rusty at right tackle, but my knee felt fine."
Head Coach Butch Jones says that Gilliam's quick recovery has been a true testament to his character and determination.
"Knowing him, when he laid on that ground in Neyland Stadium, he was determined at that point in time to get back," said Jones. "It's a great illustration that when you're determined to do something, you put your mind to do something, you can usually accomplish it."
While Gilliam says he feels lucky to be back on the field, he doesn't feel his situation is all too different from any other senior on the team. He plans to make every snap count.
"I'm on a bit of borrowed time, but I feel like every senior is," said Gilliam. "Everybody's got so many games your senior year and you're always fighting for that bowl game. I feel like I've got a second chance out there and I'm going to make the most of it."
