Dakota Larson has already left his mark on the Northern State football program.

The redshirt senior has one game left in his career, and the overriding emotion he feels heading into today’s contest at Northern Michigan, his career finale, is gratitude.

And not just for the records the Spring Creek, Nev. native leaves behind, but for the man he’s grown into as a Wolf.

“I’m super fortunate and super grateful to have played here,” Larson said. “The friendships I’ve built and finding the love of my life here. … Just the ways I’ve been able to grow.”

It’s been a long road for Larson, who came to Aberdeen the summer before his freshman season, stayed through Covid in 2020 and weathered a broken collarbone that forced him to the sidelines in 2022. 

But that didn’t stop him from etching his name into several categories in the Northern State record books, including career receptions and career receiving yards. The latter mark he set earlier this season, breaking Aberdeen native Brian Jark’s previous mark.

“I came here to make an impact and get my degree and be as successful as I can be,” Larson said.

Mission, then, accomplished, though Larson acknowledged those records are not as individual as they seem on paper. 

“So many great quarterbacks and lineman and coaching staff that made that all possible,” he said. “Without them none of that would be achievable.”

It’s also a validation, of sorts, that his decision to come to Aberdeen – a far cry from his hometown in central Nevada – was the right one.

“That transition was pretty hard for me,” Larson said. “I’m kind of a homebody, but it got me out of my comfort zone. I’m big into mountains too, but it was cool to have something I’m not used to. … It was a change for me for sure.”

Still, Larson said the change allowed him to stretch his boundaries and grow as a person.

Larson arrived on campus a few weeks before summer camp his freshman season and began working out with some of the upperclassmen when they would have throwing sessions. That camaraderie and rapport Larson developed with his teammates eventually led to a starting job at wideout during his true freshman season.

He also earned all-conference honors that season, and repeated as a sophomore before Covid-19 derailed everything.

Larson returned in 2021 and, despite putting up nearly identical numbers as his sophomore year, was not selected to the All-NSIC teams.

And that, he said, stung just a bit.

“I think the conference that year, there was lot of people putting up good numbers,” Larson said. “I know what I bring as a player, and I believe I’m an all-conference and All-American player. It does sting a little bit.“

Not just for him, though. In fact, he felt almost worse for fellow wideout Dewaylon Ingram.

“The numbers he put up that year, he definitely deserved to be a first team all-conference player,” Larson said.

Larson returned in 2022 determined to close out his career on a strong note, but adversity struck again with impeccable timing. Larson broke his collarbone on the last day of fall camp, hours before he and some friends were set to attend a concert at the Brown County Fair and just a couple days before the start of game-week prep for the season opener.

His season was over before it even started.

“That was a tough experience for sure,” Larson said. “But there were good things that came out of it as well. It taught me a lot about myself. Up to that point I was pretty fortunate with injuries and things.”

While he would still attend practices and games and be actively involved with the team, Larson said he took advantage of his extra free time to get in some hunting.

“It just taught me how to deal with adversity,” Larson said. “It gave me even more drive to come back this year and finish what I started. I was so excited to come back and play (this year).”

And that’s exactly what he’s done.

Through the first 10 games of the season, Larson has caught 51 passes for 791 yards and five touchdowns, bringing his career numbers to 230 receptions for 3,497 yards and 30 scores. In addition to his career reception numbers, he also owns one of Northern’s longest pass plays from scrimmage.

An environmental studies major who already has a job in place after he graduates, Larson hasn’t ruled out competitive football in the future, but he also isn’t pinning his entire future on that hope.

When football is over, he said, he’ll be able to move on in peace and look back with gratitude for everything the sport – and the Wolves – gave him. 

“I’m just thankful that I was brought here to Northern,” he said.