SAN DIEGO — On this day last December, the toughest year of Riley Sorenson’s life began.
Dec. 26, 2015: Washington State was at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, dressed, warmed up and ready to face Miami. As the team ran out the tunnel, WSU offensive line coach Clay McGuire held Sorenson back. He had bad news — Sorenson’s father, Bart, had suffered a heart attack right before he arrived at the stadium, and he’d been taken to the hospital in an ambulance.
Riley missed the Cougars’ bowl game as he rushed to the hospital to be with his father.