There's something cool about a thing as simple as Senior Night ceremonies. They're just short little things: Seniors come out of the tunnel one-by-one and greet their parents, some of which are seeing their kid in person at a college game for the first time. Maybe it's hearing all of the seniors get their names called out while running out of the tunnel, or maybe it's the families being there to greet them.
Jeremiah Allison's mom died in 2012. Elson Floyd died in June. So on Senior Night, Floyd's wife walked out with him. pic.twitter.com/mt4NNSlz5W
— Kyle Rancourt (@KyleRancourt) November 22, 2015
Washington State did something special on Saturday night for Senior Night, and I wish they showed the pre-game ceremony on television. It was Jeremiah Allison's senior night, and he's one of the best stories on the team; you should read Allison's backstory. He came to Pullman while his mother was in a coma after suffering a heart attack, and she passed away early in his freshman season. Former outside receivers coach Dennis Simmons, and the rest of the athletic department, rallied around him.
So for Senior Night, Carmento Floyd, the widow of Dr. Elson Floyd, escorted Allison onto the field, along with linebackers coach Ken Wilson. His Pullman family.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4289759/Screen_Shot_2015-11-22_at_2.36.58_PM.0.png)
What I don't think many people realized is that Allison and former WSU president Elson Floyd also bonded during their time at Washington State. I had heard, quite a while ago, that Floyd had kind of taken Allison under his wing, but neither had really said anything about it. Even after the game, when asked about Dr. Floyd, Allison quietly described him as a mentor that taught him some tips and tricks.
This, though, is the legacy Dr. Floyd leaves behind. It's in the medical school that will serve generations to come and make the world a better place. It's in kids like Allison, and tons of others you don't hear about, that he took under his wing.
It was small, but it was cool to see WSU honor Dr. Floyd and his family, as well as Allison, on Senior Night. Pretty fun reminder about the success stories that pop up in Pullman, of which Allison is near the top.