Chris Larsen began his sports career playing basketball and soccer. But, his aggression sparked a new path for him to follow, football. From sixth grade until his senior year of college, Chris has created a legacy for himself that surpassed even his wildest dreams.
He was always a big guy, so it was easy for him to look impressive to coaches. But, for Chris that wasn't what he wanted. It's hard to fill out a size 18 shoe, but through over 45 career starts at Slippery Rock Chris has left those giant shoes to those who will follow behind him. Chris has always had a chip on his shoulder and that chip only grew as he reached high school.
With a freshman roster of 105 kids, it was hard to keep focused on his goal. But, through training in the weight room Chris was able to grind his way into a starting position. He played alongside James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers star running back, and focused on getting better every single day. Playing alongside someone with that much hype coming out of high school allowed Larsen to get big time looks heading into his Sophomore season.
After a steller Sophomore season, Chris had a below average (by his standard) Junior year which caused him to humble himself. With major coaching changes at his school, he lost contact with some of the big time schools he had talked to in years prior. Division 1 teams told Chris he was "too small to play here." This lit a fire in Chris that would burn throughout the rest of his career. When current Slippery Rock Head Coach Shawn Lutz came to visit, flashing fancy title rings, Chris knew he had to be there.
With a game on December 14, 2019 for a birth to the Division 2 National Championship on the line, Chris has a chance to make history. His humble beginnings as a Red-Shirt Freshman and blocking the best pass rusher in college football led him to this point. Having been a starter every year he's played it took some adjustments to get used to watching on Saturdays instead of playing. But, Chris has started every game since Sophomore year in college. Amassing a whopping 45+ starts as a college athlete, Chris has been a staple on the Slippery Rock Offensive Line. Improving with every snap and keeping a level head in the face of adversity. Becoming a finalist for the Gene Upshaw award was just the icing on the cake. Though he finished fourth, he was the second ranked Offensive Lineman in the country this year in Division 2. This accomplishment is something that shouldn't be overlooked. Out of every team in Division 2, Larsen was named second out of 845 total lineman.
Chris will be graduating in the Spring semester 2020. He is being contacted by scouts from the next level and hopes to continue his playing career next year. If the football route doesn't work out, Larsen wants to pursue a career in law enforcement. He would also like to continue coaching at some point down the road, teaching kids about everything he's learned from the game of football. Being the first person in his family to graduate college also means a lot to Chris. He has set an example for his siblings to follow and feels very proud to have nearly accomplished his goal of receiving a degree.
Reflecting on Chris' time at Slippery Rock, Chris Conrad the Offensive Line coach at SRU remembers a kid struggling through his first year of college. After a conversation regarding grades, Chris wrote a letter stating that grades would never be an issue again. Since that talk, the letter has hung in Coach Conrad' office and Chris has never failed to keep his promise. A humble guy, Chris never talks about accomplishments, but adding a National Championship to his resume would be a great way to finish out a great career. After all, a left tackle is supposed to be the blindside protector of the Quarterback and Chris has been that guy for The Rock since 2017. A leader, a hard worker and a friend, Chris has established himself as one of the best Offensive Lineman to play here at SRU and deserves to be recognized for his accomplishments. The 2019 Slippery Rock Football team isn't done yet. Chris has one last home game Saturday December 14, 2019 at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium for a chance to play in Slippery Rock's first National Title game the following week. Hopefully Chris will get his chance to end his career the way he always dreamed, National Champion.
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