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Logan • Only days after his SUV was T-boned by a speeding truck loaded with 52,000 gallons of milk, Utah State nose guard Travis Seefeldt received a grim prognosis from his doctors.

Walking again, they said, might prove problematic.

Playing football, they told him gently, was out of the question.

Seefeldt remembers the discussion. He pinpoints it as the exact moment he knew the accident, which occurred on June 26, 2015, would not stop him.

"That was the motivation I needed," Seefeldt recalled. "… I knew I could pull through it."

Fourteen months later — after missing a season to recover from his injuries and rebuild his broken body — Seefeldt is back. He's listed as Utah State's No. 1 nose guard, three weeks before 2016 the opener against Weber State.

Those who witnessed his ordeal all use the same word to describe Seefeldt's incredible journey.

"It's a miracle," said teammate Brock Carmen.

Coach Matt Wells agrees.

"I look at Travis, and that makes you appreciate life a little bit more," he said. "It's allowed all of us to appreciate life [and] love a little harder because … it's a miracle everybody is still alive."

There were five people in the vehicle Seefeldt was driving when it approached what he incorrectly thought was a four-way stop at a rural intersection 20 miles from home. His passengers included fellow defensive linemen Edmund Faimalo, Adewale Adeoye and John Taylor, as well as former Utah State softball player Sarah Vasquez.

According to witnesses, Seefeldt slowed to a near stop before starting to cross the highway. He expected the truck to stop, too. But its driver had the right-of-way and didn't.

The Chevy Tahoe was hit on Seefeldt's side and knocked 75 yards down the road, into the front yard of a residence. Nobody was wearing seat belts. Faimalo, Adeoye and Taylor were taken by ambulance to the hospital. Seefeldt and Vasquez were air-lifted.

At the time, Lt. Lee Perry of the Utah Highway Patrol said, "… They're just lucky they're alive."

Seefeldt began a slow, exhausting recovering. In December, he got the news necessary for resuming his college football career. The NCAA granted him a sixth year of eligibility because his injuries were not related to athletics.

The 300-pounder from Peoria, Ariz., took it from there.

Once his injuries sufficiently healed, he began to work out, gain weight and reconnect with his football body. In the classroom, he graduated and began work on an advanced degree. He also got married.

By the time the Aggies began training camp last week, Wells told reporters Seefeldt was ready to play a huge role on a defense that returns nine starters.

"I'm so proud of Travis," Wells said, "… It motivates our guys a little bit, to see how hard he's worked to get where he is."

Two years ago — before the accident — Seefeldt played in all 14 games for the Aggies. He made two starts, finished with 35 tackles and recovered two fumbles, including one during a 35-20 win at BYU.

Last season, without Seefeldt, Utah State lost five of its last seven games and finished 6-7.

"We have something to prove and we've got something that we want to show — that this defense is the most dominant in the Mountain West [Conference]," he said. "… I wouldn't call it a chip on our shoulder. But we've got something to prove."

With Seefeldt in the middle, the defensive line is expected to be one of Utah State's strengths.

"We're the same group that we've always been," he said. "We've always had that mantra of being the anchor of the defense. We've got to stop the run and make that known to opposing teams. That's what we're here to do."

What will Seefeldt be thinking when he takes the field against Weber State — his first game in almost two years?

"It's going to feel good to be back," he said. "It will be good to feel those fans cheering, seeing my loved ones in the crowd and to be out there with my guys. It's going to be great."

Twitter: @sluhm —

About Travis Seefeldt

• The Utah State senior nose guard was involved in a horrific SUV crash on June 26, 2015.

• Initially, doctors feared Seefeldt might not walk again. They didn't think he would play football.

• Seefeldt has recovered, however, and is expected to anchor Utah State's defensive line this season.