Stevenson University’s football program is home to the team’s assistant coach and offensive coordinator, Ryan Larsen.

Larsen, 31, the oldest of three siblings, with two younger brothers, grew up in the Chicago suburbs until midway through elementary school, when he moved to Seymour, Ind. The town of Seymour is the hometown of John Mellencamp, whose song “Small Town” actually refers to Seymour.

When Larsen was 16, he transferred to a boarding school outside of Cleveland, approximately six and a half hours away from Seymour. He wanted to be pushed academically, which he lacked at his hometown high school.

After boarding school, Larsen went to Claremont McKenna College in California. He played football for four years and was on the lacrosse team during his freshman year while studying Literature and Leadership. After college, he went on to get his Master’s degree in athletic administration from Indiana University in 2010. Larsen has lived in every time zone in the United States except Hawaii.

Prior to Stevenson, Larsen coached at Indiana University, Rhodes University, and Wabash College. While coaching at Indiana University, Larsen was one of 30 coaches in the NCAA who were selected to participate in the NCAA Future Football Coaches Academy.

During Larsen’s first season on the Stevenson University coaching staff, the Mustangs went 9-2 overall and won the Centennial Mid-Atlantic Conference Bowl game. In his second season on staff, the Mustangs finished 9-2 once again. The Mustangs also earned the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) title and their first NCAA Division III playoff game in school history.

This past season marked his third year coaching the Mustangs as the offensive coordinator. In his three years, Larsen has helped the team achieve 16 offensive team records as well as four school-wide records. He worked closely this past season with quarterback Dan Williams, helping him to earn the honor of MAC Offensive Player of the Year.

Larsen is married to Megan, whom he met while they both were coaching at Rhodes College in Memphis. He was a lacrosse and football coach there and his wife was coaching field hockey. She is now a certified recreational therapist at Johns Hopkins Pediatric Hospital. He and his wife have an array of hobbies that include hiking, attending concerts, and going to sporting events. They both love trying new restaurants and eat out once or twice a week, never going to the same restaurant twice.

The Larsens are expecting their first child on April 28, and they are both excited and ready to be parents. He describes himself as a man who loves his wife and loves his job.

Senior features editor Courtney Hottle contributed to this article.