The Roanoke Times I File 2008

Virginia Tech flanker Brandon Dillard tore his right Achilles tendon last July.

BLACKSBURG -- Last April, Brandon Dillard officially held the title of the fastest player on a speed-filled Virginia Tech football roster.

Dillard had just recorded a blazing 40 time of 4.28 seconds in off-season testing. From there, he kept the gas pedal floored, making a pair of huge plays in the spring game to thrust him ahead of the pack in the race for the Hokies' No. 1 flanker spot.

More importantly, the walk-on from Bassett High School was on the verge of being awarded a scholarship for his final two years of college.

"I had worked to get where I was and I had shown the coaches what I could do," Dillard said. "Everything was going great for me. And then it happened."

The day was last July 1st. As he and some other receivers were working with the quarterbacks in player-organized passing drills on the practice field, Dillard caught a Sean Glennon pass on a simple "short out" pattern and attempted to make a routine cut up field.

Boom!

His right Achilles tendon had blown. And in a split second, everything Dillard had worked so long and so hard for was gone.

"A totally fluke deal," offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring recalled.

Dillard underwent surgery nine days later. His foot was in a cast for a month. The guy who was supposed to be the Hokies' top deep threat was on crutches and often needed pain pills to simply walk.

"It was tough, very tough," Dillard said. "Man, I mean, some days, like during the season when I watching the games ... it was tough to watch. And it also was tough to know if you're ever going to come back healthy and be able to do the things that you used to do.

"Sometimes, I didn't even think about it at all."

With Dillard on pace to graduate next month, there was some speculation as to whether the Martinsville native would return for a fifth year and play his senior season this fall. In appreciation for his work, Tech coach Frank Beamer made Dillard's choice a little easier by placing him on scholarship.

"I had a decision to make of whether I would be back," Dillard said. "I wanted to come back. I love the game. I wanted to get a chance to contribute to this team and help anyway I can."

It won't be easy. The 5-foot-11, 177-pound Dillard entered spring workouts fourth on the depth chart, behind last season's starter, sophomore Danny Coale, sophomore Dyrell Roberts, and redshirt sophomore Patrick Terry.

"All I can do is keep working and try and do what I can each day to improve," Dillard said. "The Achilles is fine. It's my upper leg, the quads and hamstring in that leg. I've got to get the strength back in those, and right now they're bothering me, ... They tighten up a lot."

Dillard, the guy who couldn't be caught a year ago, now finds himself playing a serious game of catch-up to get on the field this fall. At worst, he could be a contributor on special teams, where he saw action on four different units in 13 games in 2007.

Dillard, who is still looking for his first college reception, is not about to quit now.

"I just want to figure in somewhere," he said. "We'll see what happens, I guess."