Iowa HC Reveals Path to Mark Gronowski Recruitment

Kirk Ferentz has been around college football long enough to trust his instincts when evaluating quarterbacks. After more than two decades at Iowa, the veteran head coach knows what he wants in a signal-caller, and when Mark Gronowski entered the transfer portal following a legendary career at South Dakota State, Ferentz recognized something special.

The connection between Iowa and Gronowski began well before the quarterback made his official visit to Iowa City in early January 2025. Ferentz recently reflected on the recruitment process that brought Gronowski to the Hawkeyes.

How Did Kirk Ferentz Bring Mark Gronowski to Iowa?

The Hawkeyes HC addressed the media ahead of the much-anticipated game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Ferentz was asked how quickly Gronowski showed the things the winningest coach in college football history wants in his QB. He started by revealing the story behind the fifth-year QB’s recruitment.

“It probably goes back to our first visit with him in person when he and his dad came out here in January," Ferentz said. "Probably back before even that. It's a little bit like recruiting, and obviously he wasn't recruited by the Big Ten schools or the MAAC schools I'm assuming, so a lot of people missed".

The 6-foot-3 quarterback from Naperville, Illinois, spent four seasons at the FCS level, tying the all-time FCS record with 49 wins as a starting quarterback and leading South Dakota State to back-to-back national championships in 2022 and 2023. He threw for 10,330 yards and 93 touchdowns while rushing for 1,767 yards and 37 more scores during his career with the Jackrabbits.

The Iowa HC was impressed by Gronkowski’s production at South Dakota. 

"I don't know how obvious it was or wasn't, but what he did at South Dakota State in a short time is impressive, and I don't think you stumble into things like that," Ferentz said.

When describing what stood out about Gronowski's tape, Ferentz drew a comparison to Jovon Johnson, a former Iowa cornerback who played from 2002 to 2005. Johnson wasn't the tallest defensive back, but he finished his career with 17 interceptions, just one shy of Iowa's all-time record.

"I'm sitting here thinking about Jovon Johnson. Coach Moore was still alive at that time and he kept encouraging me to look at the film, he did everything so well, and he wasn't very tall, but he just did everything for his team," Ferentz recalled.​

The official visit in early January proved crucial in Iowa's recruitment of Gronowski. The quarterback was weighing multiple options, including entering the 2025 NFL Draft, as he had already received an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine. He also visited Wisconsin before ultimately choosing Iowa.