Iowa QB Mark Gronowski Reveals His Biggest Mistake in Recent Win

The Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski has been one of college football's most dynamic dual-threat signal-callers this season. The youngster has learned to balance when to be aggressive and when to protect his body.

Gronowski was asked about his development as a runner ahead of the Oregon matchup. The QB shared his early approach to the position.

"When I was a freshman, all I wanted to do was hit people and try to run over people,” Gronowski said. “Eventually, as I progressed and played more college football games, I realized I need to slide sometimes when there's no reason to get the extra two yards. Sometimes just stay down and protect your body."

He also opened up about whether it is difficult to keep his eyes up and know where he is on the sidelines, and whether he needs to make those decisions instinctively or through pre-snap planning.

"It kind of has to be part of your pre-snap plan," Gronowski said. "When you're on that third down, I didn't think about it, but you should be thinking about it as part of your progression. You're thinking, 'Okay, what if I run?' How far do I need to get? How much do I need to get before I get the first down? You probably dive headfirst instead of sliding because they're gonna stop you when you start your slide."

Mark Gronowski Admits Mistake Against Penn State

The QB’s biggest lesson came during Iowa's game against Penn State in October. Gronowski understands that he needs to do better and continues to learn as the season progresses.

“I made a mistake against Penn State sliding early on a third down,” Gronowski said. “In those situations, you've got to put your head down and maybe get a couple extra yards and fight as much as possible. But when you've already gained a good amount, just take the slide and keep rolling onto the next play.”

“Just learning about those different situations and playing enough games. I needed to be better against Penn State, but I've learned from that and we're going to continue to understand more about the QB run game as we go."

Even with a brace on his recovering knee, he understands the long-term implications of his running style and adjusts accordingly. Gronowski had picked up a knee injury against the Indiana Hoosiers in September.

The Iowa QB has rushed 76 times for 313 yards and 11 touchdowns through eight games, and the numbers might get better once the QB gets 100% healthy.

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