Week 13 of the college football season carries with it a number of special Senior Day stories. Appalachian State might have the best one courtesy of one gesture from a sophomore to a senior.
On the final possession of the Mountaineers' 21-10 win over Troy, wide receiver Thomas Hennigan motioned for fellow wideout Brad Absher to come out on to the field and take his place for the victory formation. Absher is a redshirt senior and a former walk-on who was put on scholarship this year.
Absher later tweeted that he had no idea that Hennigan was telling him to take his place on the field to close out the game.
Sometimes, college football can get too big-picture. The College Football Playoff has taken over the sport and conference championship races always have a lot of meaning. But at the end of the day, this sport is great in part because of days like Senior Day. For most of these players, this past week was the last time they'll ever step foot on their home field. As bystanders, we easily overlook that when the game is done, it's really done. Their time in the sport they've been playing for years has come to an abrupt end. These are the kinds of gestures that make those Senior Days special.