Something newest Hawkeye QB Mark Gronowski did over and over at South Dakota State: Win

When it comes to Iowa, the next quarterback is always the best quarterback.

I can neither confirm nor deny a statue for Cade McNamara was commissioned in Iowa City the December 2022 day he announced he was transferring to Iowa.

Anyway, the Hawkeyes could barely find a quarterback to replace injured Brendan Sullivan during the game at UCLA in November. Now, they’ll have an overflow crowd in their quarterback room next fall if everyone stays put.

There’s Auburn transfer Hank Brown, there’s 2-game starter Jackson Stratton, there’s a pair of Sullivans including incoming freshman Jimmy Sullivan, there’s walk-on Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Now, there’s also Mark Gronowski, a 23-year-old, four-year starter from one of the best FCS programs in America, South Dakota State.

There was a time when Iowa craving a quarterback from a university in South Dakota signaled the end of civilization as we knew it. That was before the Jackrabbits became a genuine football powerhouse, though the Missouri Valley Football Conference long has been the epicenter of the FCS universe.

Gronowski was the quarterback of South Dakota State’s 2022 and 2023 national champions, and the Jacks won both title games by at least 20 points.

Gronowski was 49-6 as a starter. Yowsah! His other numbers range from good to great, but you have to account for the fact the Jacks were third in the nation in rushing in 2024 with 236 yards per game and spent a lot of time playing with big leads.

That said, Gronowski threw for 10,330 yards and 90 touchdowns in his time at SDSU, while getting intercepted just 20 times. He completed 63.3 percent of his 1,190 throws. He also rushed for 1,767 yards and 37 touchdowns. Again, yowsah!

He was 10-1 with 20 touchdowns passing and 10 rushing in FCS playoff games alone. Gronowski’s statistics and his team’s results are enough to make you say with confidence that Iowa’s next quarterback is its best quarterback.

Of course, that’s what was said about McNamara, who was the starting QB of Michigan’s 2021 Big Ten champion. Ah, well. Statues just take up space and attract pigeons.

Hey, there’s no point in being a fan if you can’t get enthused about what seems like a really good addition to your roster.

While on the subject of quarterbacks who played in the Dakotas, how about a loud shoutout to Solon’s Cam Miller, the QB of the team that unseated Gronowski’s Jackrabbits as the national champ.

Miller was superb in North Dakota State’s 35-32 title game win over Montana State last Monday in Texas. It was a tremendous game, and Miller helped make it so. He passed for 199 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 121 yards and two TDs, including a 64-yarder on a quarterback draw.

Gronowski’s SDSU team had three losses in 2024. One was to Oklahoma State in September. The other two were to Miiller’s Bison.

Miller was the second-team quarterback on the American Football Coaches Association’s FCS All-America squad. Montana State’s Tommy Mellott was the first-teamer. Those two took turns making big plays in the championship game, but Miller made more.

This season, Miller passed for 3,251 yards and 33 touchdowns while getting intercepted a measly four times. He rushed for 631 yards and 12 TDs. His career totals were 81 TD passes and 48 rushes for scores.

What a career, and what a career-capper.

Another Solon grad, Adam Bock, was an ally of Gronowski’s at South Dakota State. Bock was a three-year captain and a three-year All-MVFC first-teamer at middle linebacker, the quarterback of the defense.

"We're always trying to bring the best out of each other, and he's always doing the little things right,“ Gronowski said about Bock in a SiouxFallsLive.com story last month.

Miller and Bock were quarterback/running back at Solon. They also were together on the FCS second-team All-America list.

For what Johnson County gave the Dakotas, maybe it’s only fair the Hawkeyes get one of their quarterbacks for a year.

Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com