Mike Larson brings veteran Redbird toughness and award-level leadership
Mike Larson is best known as a physical, team-first Illinois State winner rather than a stat-stuffing spotlight back; Illinois State honored him with the Fred Cleland Award, which signals leadership, toughness, and reliability traits coaches value in a locker room and short-yardage role.[3] The main reason to care is fit: players with his profile usually help on special teams, in gritty run-game packages, and in culture-building, even when they are not headline producers. If you want a dependable, intensity-first addition, Larson profiles as a steady, low-drama fit.[3]
