So surreal, Zak Tait said it seemed like he was in a movie. Only the once well-publicized high school player now seemed to be playing the role of an expendable stunt man.

Fending off a block against Livingston Academy on Sept. 21, the Catholic lineman went to one knee. Suddenly, the massive pile of fellow players headed his way and landed violently on his outstretched left leg.

"It just kind of snaps and then everyone falls on it," Tait recalled. "It was bad from there."

Bad because Tait immediately considered the worst as a real possibility, especially when he looked down at a leg once so strong, now mangled beyond belief.

"The first question I asked is 'Will I play again?' " Tait said. "I'm not sure if they knew the answer or not, but they went ahead and told me 'yes' on the field to make sure I didn't lose it."

His father, Jim, was there. Football was the furthest thing from his mind.

"I was quite honestly wondering if the kid was going to walk again," Jim Tait said.

Jim Tait made the mistake later of asking doctors if there was any injury they could compare to his son's. One came to mind.

"It was very similar to Willis McGahee's injury in the Miami-Ohio State national championship game," he said.

Not the answer Jim was looking for.

Like McGahee, Zak Tait suffered three torn ligaments. Fortunately, that was the extent of the damage in the knee. (Jim Tait is still not completely comfortable talking about what could have been had the injury been just a bit worse.)

In some ways, the Taits were lucky on that fateful evening. In the stands, representing Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic, was Dr. Greg Mathien, the head orthopedic surgeon for the University of Tennessee athletic department.

"He just happened to be at that game that night," Jim Tait said. "It's another star that got aligned the right way for Zak."

Timing will also help Zak continue his playing career. Had his injury occurred later in the semester, his high school career would almost assuredly be over. In turn, his college dreams would rest on whatever college recruiter was willing to take a chance on a player they'd barely seen as a junior.

With the severity of the injury and a follow-up surgery pending, Zak Tait was sent home by Mathien and withdrew from school, meaning he could return to Catholic with two semesters of athletic competition remaining.

This fall is a lost cause because of the injury and the time missed academically. He will return to the field in 2009, making him one of the top prospects in Tennessee for the 2010 class, ready to enroll at his selected college in January.

"We didn't want to stick him back in there not ready," Catholic coach Mark Pemberton said. "But he'll be begging to go out there this fall."

Zak Tait says it's going to be hard for him when practice starts.

"It was even hard for me last year (not being able to play)," said Tait. "I'll feel like I'm going to be ready, but I won't be. I'll miss it, but I'll be at every practice, at every game no matter what. I just won't be on the roster."

The most striking thing about discussing the situation with Zak Tait is how matter-of-factly he's treating the situation. He doesn't seem angry - or even sad - about the situation, just determined to complete the long journey to get back on the field.

"I think he's done a really good job of handling it," Jim Tait said. "Zak's got a stepbrother who's 12-years-old and has Down syndrome and a number of other significant disabilities.

"Zak has a perspective of 'This is a bump in the road compared to what some other people have to deal with.' He sees that things could be a lot worse."

That's not to say that everything is hunky-dory at the Tait residence. Jim Tait is starting to notice a bit of restlessness from a son that's had more than his fair share of Oprah and Dr. Phil.

"He's actually missed school," Jim Tait quipped. "I think he's done a lot of maturing in that regard - and realizes that an education is something to be valued."

Zak Tait underwent the second and final surgery to repair his knee earlier this month. His first workout since was last Friday. Zak Tait admitted that he's a bit disappointed he lost so much strength, but confident he'll return stronger and faster than before based off his medical reports.

Pemberton said he's been pleasantly surprised that the college interest in Tait hasn't waned in response to his injury. Pemberton's still sure that Tait will be "big time" and have plenty of colleges to choose from.

Zak Tait didn't grow up a UT fan, meaning the Vols will have to work just as hard as other schools to land a prospect that most believe will play center or guard in college. He visited Alabama last summer and was plenty impressed.

"I really liked it down there," he said. "I liked what coach (Nick) Saban is doing and how he recruited this year. He did a great job."

West Virginia also figures to be a factor, depending on how their new coaching staff performs. Syracuse, where Jim Tait played tight end in the early 1980s before a brief stint with the Cleveland Browns, might also be worth watching.

Zak Tait, however, isn't worried about recruiting yet. He's especially not concerned about just how many colleges might offer him a scholarship.

"When it comes down to it," Zak said, "all you need is one."

Chances are he'll have a lot more than that. His outlook on life should be worth a couple.

Dave Hooker covers recruiting. He can be reached at hookerd@knews.com.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.