Floyd's Debut

[OrangeAl]

More observations:

This was the first year unlimited substitution was once again allowed after a ten year experiment to force a return to one platoon football, (players played on offense and defense), and the conversion happened in phases. I thought I saw Jim Nance playing linebacker on some plays.

SU's kicking game was almost non-existent in those days. We weren't using specialists yet. Nance was our kickoff guy and was pretty terrible at it. Halfback Ron Oyer was our punter. We scored 38 points but that wasn't five touchdowns and a field goal. It was six touchdowns with two successful conversions.

Bill Hunter became a successful lawyer and prosecutor and then the long-time head of the NBA Player's Association, only to get into a bit of trouble himself:

Billy Hunter (basketball) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

And Floyd made a tackle from his DB position as well.

 

[Cusefan95]

That was my first game as a frosh in the band at SU. I can see myself in the trombone line.

Floyd lived in Booth Hall with us "peons" and was nice to everyone, not just the jocks. They showed the game films the next week to students in Sadler Hall.

I ran into Floyd Little in a gas station on a trip to a football road game (I think either USC or Washington). He saw my Syracuse shirt and started a conversation - I think anyone listening would have thought we were long lost friends who just happened to bump into each other. Any time I saw him after that he’d give me a little wave, if it was really special day he’d use my name as well.

As someone who struggles to remember names of my cousins and have no shot at remembering their kids names, that remains incredibly impressive to me. Floyd Little wasn’t just a great football player - he was a great man who set a standard few can match (and I acknowledge I cannot).