Iowa football’s Mark Gronowski: ‘Best’ he’s felt since injury, against Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. — Donning a full knee brace and a 30-point lead over Wisconsin, Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski didn’t hold anything back.

He fully committed to the bit for “Jump Around.”

“I guess it was a little premeditated,” Gronowski said. “We wanted to get on them early, and obviously we did that. We were just wanting to go out there and have some fun, and then ‘Jump Around’ came on, and saw their sideline, wasn’t doing that, so we were having some fun on our side.”

The Hawkeye starting quarterback was questionable the entire week leading up to the football game against Wisconsin. He’d been working through a knee injury he suffered against Indiana, and there wasn’t a surefire answer if Gronowski would be the go-to option Saturday night.

Gronowski started against the Badgers, threw for more than 100 yards and scored his eighth rushing touchdown of the season. With just a few minutes left in the fourth quarter, head coach Kirk Ferentz put back-up Jeremy Hecklinski in to end the game with a 37-0 shu tout win over Wisconsin.

“It’s just a real credit to his determination,” Ferentz said. “He’s a real strong-willed guy. And then beyond that, the medical staff did a wonderful job.”

So maybe Gronowski deserved to jump around a little.

“Every day is going to keep getting better,” Gronowski said. “I'm excited to keep getting healthier, and hopefully we can get a little more in that quarterback run game next week, but I felt like I did a god job.”

Ferentz admitted it from Tuesday on he was concerned about Gronowski’s injury. The signal caller didn’t get the medical clearance until Monday, but Gronowski wasn’t willing to take any chances.

He stuck with the training room staff every day, admitting he’d be there for six hours a day. Thankfully, Gronowski said he had the flexibility to pour his focus into his rehab.

“I was in the training room as much as I can,” he said. “I've already finished my master's (degree), so I can have a lot more time to spend on football, getting my body right, getting into the training room and trying to rehab it back to health.”

Gronowski finished the game 17-for-24 for 107 passing yards and one interception, and a 1-yard rushing touchdown.

His roommate and fellow South Dakota State transfer Bryce Hawthorne had an interceptio, one of two defensive linemen picks in a three-turnover first half.

Hawthorne and Gronowski played two seasons together with the Jackrabbits before they entered the portal. By chance they ended up at Iowa together — and felt like it’d be smart to live together, too.

“When he entered the transfer portal, we were talking, and I kind of figured out we're kind of going to the same place,” Hawthorne said. “He just hit me up and said ‘hey, let's room together.’ So I said, ‘let's do it.’”

Hawthorne had first-hand experience watching Gronowski get himself into game-ready shape again. He saw his teammate leave for the training room and slowly get himself back on the practice field.

Hawthorne said Gronowski did the same thing at their former school, too.

“It hypes me up seeing him get out there and move out there,” Hawthorne said. “I know he's all good, so seeing him move out there still is just same old Mark.”

Sure, why not jump around then?

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