Iowa Hawkeyes' QB Mark Gronowski Opens Up About Kirk Ferentz

Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski opens up on his great interaction with Kirk Ferentz in the transfer portal.

South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski (11) cheers after singing the victory song on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings. | Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After committing to Iowa through the transfer portal, quarterback Mark Gronowski opened up on his relationship with Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz.

"It was great. Just kinda learning a lot about him. I always see him as the face of Iowa football and that's kind of who he is as the head coach. But I didn't really know much about him as a person. So just kinda asking about his life and where he came from, how he built up through the ranks. It was cool to learn those things about him. But also just asked him a lot of questions about Iowa football and the culture here. After hearing that, it was like, this is where I want to be."

Ferentz has coached the Hawkeyes since the 1999 season. Iowa is coming off an 8-5 record in the highly competitive Big Ten.

Heading into the 2025 season, Ferentz recruited Gronowski in the transfer portal from South Dakota State.

Aug 31, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; South Dakota State Jackrabbits quarterback Mark Gronowski (11) passes over Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker Collin Oliver (30) during the first quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

In the 2024 season, Gronowski completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 2,721 yards, 23 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. On the ground, he rushed for 380 yards and 10 touchdowns on 98 carries.

Gronowski's dual-threat ability will be impactful for Iowa's offense. He is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, but he has started throwing.

The Hawkeyes will look to get a lot out of their transfer quarterback and improve an Iowa offense that has struggled over the last few seasons.

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