IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Quarterbacks aren’t supposed to get hit in practice, but Mark Gronowski wouldn’t mind getting tackled a few times before the season.
“I’m a guy that loves contact,” Iowa's first-year quarterback said. “I love getting hit to start off games. Just get the feel of it, especially to start the season off. I haven’t been hit all offseason, all fall camp, as we try to protect the quarterbacks, but I’ll put my body on the line when we need to.”
It’s probably not wise, though, for Gronowski
to take too many shots. The South Dakota State transfer is the central figure in an offense that is starved for better quarterback production.
“To me, ever since Spencer got hurt in November of ’22, it’s been a bumpy road,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said, referring to Spencer Petras. “Nobody’s fault, it’s just the way it’s been.”
The Hawkeyes used three quarterbacks as injuries mounted last season, and they ranked 129th in passing. It’s why Iowa went out and got Gronowski.
“I mean, personally, I love the pressure, because, really, you’ve got to look at it as more of an opportunity,” Gronowski said. “Everyone in the community, everyone on this team, has really been looking for that QB success, has been looking for that offensive success. And we got a lot of great guys and a lot of great weapons that we have the opportunity to do that."
Gronowski threw for 10,308 yards and won 49 games in his four seasons at South Dakota State. He led the Jackrabbits to Football Championship Subdivision championships in 2022 and 2023 and won the Walter Payton Award in 2023 as the top FCS offensive player.
Offensive coordinator Tim Lester calls Gronowski a “steady Eddie.”
“It’s very evident why he’s won as much as he’s won as you watch him go through the good and the bad, and how it never affects his mindset,” Lester said.
Gronowski entered the transfer portal rather than enter the NFL draft because of a shoulder injury requiring offseason surgery. He missed spring practice to recover.
“I feel so fresh,” he said. “The arm feels fresh. It’s as good as I felt so far.”
Replacing running back Kaleb Johnson might be a three-man job. Johnson, a third-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, ran for 1,537 yards last season and a program-record 21 rushing touchdowns.
The top returning rushers are Kamari Moulton (473 yards) and Jaziun Patterson (309), and Terrell Washington Jr. also is in the mix.
“We can use the talents of each of them,” Lester said. "Some of them are great route runners, some of them have unbelievable hands, some are big and can bull over people.”
The departures of Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson, who combined for 215 tackles, leave a hole at linebacker. Karson Sharar, Jaxon Rexroth and Jaden Harrell are first in line for the three spots. Defensive coordinator Phil Parker said he likes the depth, with Jayden Montgomery, Cam Buffington and Preston Ries also competing for playing time.
Ferentz is two wins from passing Ohio State’s Woody Hayes as the Big Ten’s winningest coach. Ferentz has 204 wins at Iowa heading into his 27th year.
He noted that Iowa lost 18 of its first 20 games over his first two seasons.
“Yeah," he said, "the odds were probably against 20-plus years at that point.”
The Hawkeyes open Aug. 30 against Albany of the Football Championship Subdivision, a warmup for the annual CyHawk Game at Iowa State on Sept. 6. They play four of their first six Big Ten games at home, including three straight against Penn State, Minnesota and Oregon.
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