Large and taking charge
Well before Cam Large arrived on the campus of Noble and Greenough, he already knew the journey he wanted to pursue.
It was growing up in Pomfret, Conn. where he first envisioned playing college football. But early on in his high school career, he watched his counterparts garner the interest he craved from top programs.
Large was not deterred and bided his time until UMass came calling this past November. It was Large’s first offer, but far from the last, as many more came flooding in from all across the country in hopes of landing the 6-foot-5, 240pound tight end.
By the end of this summer, Large achieved what he set out to accomplish when he committed to Wisconsin, and now he turns his attention toward starring for the Bulldogs in his senior season.
“It’s been my dream since I was a little kid and it’s been really cool to see it happen,” Large said. “I didn’t get offers young. Some kids did, but it’s been cool getting them now. … It’s always been inside me that I’d want to (play college football). I’ve always been so driven to do that. It’s always been a belief inside me that I’m going to do it.”
The whirlwind pace of Large’s recruitment caught him off guard, but after taking official visits to Power 5 programs, Large narrowed his selection down to Wisconsin, Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State.
Large’s future became even clearer Aug. 27, when the teenager made the much-anticipated decision to become a Badger. Wisconsin vaulted to the top of the list for the three-star recruit after he believed he molded well with the team on and off the field along with falling in love with the campus of his next home.
“It’s really stressful because hearing everybody say they want you, it’s hard to say no to people,” Large said of the recruitment process. “A lot went into it. A lot of thought went into it. I think I just fit in the best at Wisconsin.”
Wisconsin coveted Large because of the diverse skillset he cultivated at Nobles. An adept pass-catcher with stellar athleticism and bigplay ability, Large caught six touchdown passes in nine games last season.
But that’s not all Large possesses. Large, who also recorded nine sacks as a bulldozing defensive end, is more than willing to take on grunt work, which lends well to Wisconsin’s offensive system predicated on the rushing attack.
“He’s an excellent blocker and those are the things you really have to watch closely to appreciate and he does it play after play,” Nobles coach Panos Voulgaris said. “That’s what makes him stand out. His consistency and his commitment to doing the little things that often go unnoticed.”
While Large plans to enroll early at Wisconsin in the spring, he is laser-focused on his final high school season.
It’s the first time during Large’s four years that Nobles hasn’t undergone a coaching change in the offseason. The Bulldogs also are coming off a sensational season in which they suffered just one defeat and captured the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council Mark Conroy Bowl title.
Driven by team success rather personal gain — a sterling characteristic that also made Large a high-profiled recruit — he now is on another pursuit, this time to repeat last year’s performance, but with one exception.
“I don’t want to lose a single football game this year. That’s been my goal,” Large said. “When I got here we weren’t a great team. We were 4-4 my first two years. Since I got here, I’ve wanted to turn that around because I love winning. That’s the biggest thing about sports for me.”