#11 Mark Gronowski Season 2025-26

Career Notes -- His 56 career wins makes him the winningest QB in NCAA history (all levels)... career passing stats of 897-1,414 for 11,693 yards and 1000 touchdowns with 26 interceptions and a long pass of 76 yards... career rushing stats of 492 carries for 2,203 yards and 50 touchdowns, with a long rush of 80 yards... 2023 NCAA FCS Statistical Leader – Passing Efficiency (179.67)... compiled a 49-6 career record as the Jackrabbits’ starting quarterback... the 49 wins ties the FCS record for win by a quarterback... passed and rushed for touchdowns in the same game 26 times in 55 career starts... ranked third at South Dakota State in single-season total offense – 3,460 yards (2023)... ranked fifth in single-season passing touchdowns – 29 (2023)... ranked sixth in single-season passing – 3,058 yards (2023)... ranked second in career passing touchdowns – 93... ranked second in career total offense – 12,075 yards... ranked second in career passing – 10,308 yards.

2025 Honors -- Named one of four game captains in all 12 games... preseason Maxwell Award Watch List... named to 2025 Player Council... 2025 -- Started at quarterback in all 11 games, marking his 66th career start... has completed 141-of-224 passes for 1,363 yards (long of 45 yards) and seven touchdowns with six interceptions, rushed 107 times for 427 yards (long of 67 yards) and 13 touchdowns, and caught one pass for five yards and one touchdown on the season... ranks second on the team in scoring with 84 points... scored at least one rushing touchdown in 10 games, which is the most all-time by a Big Ten QB... ranks third in the Big Ten and 11th in the nation, and is tied for second-most among FBS QBs in rushing touchdowns (13), and ranks second in the Big Ten and ninth in the nation in total touchdowns (14)... the 13 rushing touchdowns by an Iowa QB is a school record and the 427 rushing yards ranks fourth in school single-season history... scored a passing, rushing, and receiving touchdown in in 21-26 loss at #17 USC, becoming the seventh player in Big Ten history (fifth QB) and the first Hawkeye to accomplish that feat this century... scored both a passing and rushing touchdown in five games this season (UAlbany, UMass, Minnesota, Oregon, USC), doing so 31 times in his collegiate career... completed 10-of-16 passes for 68 yards (long of 12 yards) with one interception, and led the team in rushing with nine attempts for 130 yards (long of 67 yards) and two touchdowns in 25-24 win over Penn State... the 130 rushing yards are the most recorded by a Hawkeye QB in single-game school history... the 67-yard rush in the fourth quarter set up Iowa's go-ahead touchdown, and is the team's longest run of the season... is the first Hawkeye QB to rush for 100+ yards in a single game since Butch Caldwell (1976)... completed 19-of-25 passes for 144 yards (long of 21 yards) with one interception and rushed eight times for seven yards and one touchdown before leaving the game early in the fourth quarter due to injury in 15-20 loss to #11/12 Indiana... completed 17-of-24 passes for 107 yards (long of 16 yards) with one interception and rushed four times for nine yards and one touchdown in 37-0 shutout at Wisconsin... completed 12-of-19 passes for 132 yards (long of 44 yards) and one touchdown with one interception, rushed eight times for 32 yards (long of 19 yards) and one touchdown, and caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Iowa WR Reece Vander Zee in 21-26 loss at #17 USC... completed 12-of-22 passes for 147 yards (long of 33 yards) with one interception and threw his 100th career touchdown pass in 20-17 win over Michigan State... 117 of his passing yards came in the fourth quarter and rushed 11 times for 57 yards (long of 16 yards) the come-from-behind win vs. Michigan State... completed 12-of-19 passes for 135 yards (long of 29 yards) and one touchdown, and rushed nine times for 24 yards (long of 14 yards) and one touchdown in 41-3 win over Minnesota... completed 12-of-18 passes for 186 yards (long of 42 yards), and rushed 13 times for 55 yards (long of 11 yards) and three touchdowns in 38-28 win at Rutgers... the three rushing touchdowns are the most in a single game by an Iowa QB since Matt Rodgers (Cincinnati, 1990)... completed 16-of-24 passes for 179 yards (long of 45 yards) and two touchdowns and rushed six times for 12 yards (long of 13 yards) and one touchdown in 47-7 win over UMass... completed a pass to 12 different receivers vs. UMass... completed 10-of-18 passes for 138 yards and one touchdown (long of 40 yards) and was second on the team in rushing with 12 carries for 25 yards and one touchdown (long of eight yards) in 16-18 loss to #9 Oregon... the Oregon game was the fourth time this season that he passed and rushed for a touchdown... completed 8-of-15 passes for 44 yards and one touchdown (long of 13 yards) and rushed 11 times for 39 yards and one touchdown (long of 13 yards) in 34-7 season-opening win over UAlbany... completed 13-of-24 passes and one interception for 83 yards (long of 22 yards), and rushed 16 times for 37 yards (long of 13 yards) and one touchdown in 13-16 loss at Iowa State.

2024 Honors at South Dakota State: William V. Campbell Trophy Finalist... Walter Payton Award Finalist... FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award Finalist... Stats Preform FCS All-America Team... All-MVFC Second Team... MVFC Scholar-Athlete First Team with a 4.0 GPA as an engineering management graduate student after compiling a 3.76 undergraduate GPA in mechanical engineering... team captain. 2024 -- Helped lead the Jackrabbits to a 12-3 record and a FCS Semifinal Appearance... connected on 21-of-32 with four touchdown passes and 285 yards in win over UIW... rushed for two scores in win over Augustana... connected on 16-of-22 passes and three scores in win against UNI... threw for three touchdowns against North Dakota in 38-7 win... tallied two rushing touchdowns in win over Montana... had three passing scores and two rushing scores in 55-14 quarterfinal win over UIW.

2023 Honors at South Dakota State: Walter Payton Award... Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association Offensive Player of the Year... Phil Steele FCS Offensive Player of the Year... Associated Press FCS All-America First Team... Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team... FCS ADA All-America Team... Walter Camp FCS All-America First Team... American Football Coaches Association FCS All-America Second Team... Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year... All-MVFC First Team... MVFC Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 18, 2023)... Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association Scholar-Athlete of the Year... CSC Academic All-District... MVFC Scholar-Athlete First Team... MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award... MVFC Honor Roll... CSC Academic All-America Second Team... FCS ADA Academic All-Star... team captain. 2023 -- Raised his level play another notch in earning multiple national player of the year awards, including the Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision... named Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year for the second time in his career, sharing the award with teammate Isaiah Davis... helped lead the Jackrabbits to their second consecutive national title and an undefeated season (15-0)... rushed and passed for touchdowns in each of the first six games of the season and eight times overall... tossed career-high five touchdown passes and ran for another in win over Drake... completed 21-of-26 passes for 291 yards and three scores in victory against UNI... connected on 19-of-28 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns at Youngstown State... closed regular season by sharing Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week award after completing 16-of-23 passes for career-best 323 yards and adding a rushing touchdown versus Missouri State... was an efficient 15-of-19 for 265 yards and three scores in FCS playoff semifinal against UAlbany... accounted for two third-quarter touchdowns in national championship game versus Montana, scoring on a 10-yard run and throwing a 23-yard TD pass to Jadon Janke.

 

2022 Honors at South Dakota State: HERO Sports FCS Sophomore All-America Team... All-MVFC Second Team... MVFC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 24, 2022 and Oct. 22, 2022)... CSC Academic All-District... MVFC Scholar-Athlete First Team (2022)... MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award... MVFC Honor Roll... team captain. 2022 -- Made a successful return from injury that sidelined him during the previous season... shared the team's Adam Timmerman Award as the Jackrabbits' top offensive player... his 26 touchdown passes marked the sixth most in a single season by a South Dakota State quarterback... rushed for two touchdowns and passed for another in home opener against UC Davis 2021... tossed three first-half touchdown passes and ran for another score to share team's Offensive Player of the Week award in victory over Butler... honored as Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week after completing 22-of-29 passes while establishing season highs with 319 yards and four touchdowns in league-opening win at Missouri State... named MVFC Offensive Player of the Week for second time during the 2022 season after accounting for five touchdowns (3 passing, 2 rushing) at North Dakota, a game in which he also caught a pass for 16 yards... threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns on 22-for-28 passing versus Indiana State... passed and ran for touchdowns in all four Football Championship Subdivision playoff games... was an efficient 11-for-15 passing for 131 yards, while adding 73 rushing yards on eight carries, including a 51-yard attempt, in postseason opener versus Delaware... completed 10-of-13 attempts for 189 yards and two touchdowns through the air in semifinal victory over Montana State... named Most Outstanding Player of the national championship game versus North Dakota State following a performance in which he completed 14-of-21 passes for 223 yards and three touchdowns, to go along with 57 rushing yards that included a 51-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the third quarter.

2021 Honors at South Dakota State: MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award... MVFC Honor Roll. 2021 -- Redshirted while recovering from injury suffered in Football Championship Subdivision national championship game the previous spring.

2020-21 Honors at South Dakota State: Phil Steele FCS Freshman of the Year... Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award Finalist/Runner-up... HERO Sports FCS Freshman All-America Team... Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year... MVFC Newcomer of the Year... MVFC Freshman of the Year... All-MVFC First Team... Stats Perform FCS National Freshman Player of the Week (Feb. 19, 2021)... MVFC Offensive Player of the Week (March 6, 2021)... MVFC Newcomer of the Week (Feb. 19, 2021 and April 17, 2021)... MVFC Honor Roll. 2020-21 -- Took over the reins at starting quarterback as a true freshman and started all 10 games en route to earning numerous team, conference and national accolades... selected as recipient of the Jim Langer Award as team Most Valuable Player... led four fourth-quarter game-winning drives during the season, including capping 10-play, 75-yard drive with 1-yard touchdown pass to Pierre Strong, Jr. with 19 seconds remaining in season opener at UNI... finished collegiate debut 19-of-29 passing for 194 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 24 rushing yards and a touchdown run... threw for season-high 309 yards and two touchdowns at North Dakota... topped 100 yards both passing and rushing on three occasions, starting with home opener against Western Illinois, a game in which he threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns and tallying 120 rushing yards on only four carries, including 80-yard touchdown... ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns in regular season road win at Southern Illinois... gained 126 yards on 16 carries and completed 10-of-14 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown in regular season finale at North Dakota State... tossed career-best three touchdowns in Football Championship Subdivision playoff opener versus Holy Cross... scored go-ahead touchdown on 67-yard run early in fourth quarter of playoff rematch with Southern Illinois after throwing pair of touchdown passes to Jadon Janke earlier in the game... racked up season-high 325 yards of total offense versus SIU (183 passing, 142 rushing)... converted 10-of-16 passes attempts for 162 yards and two touchdowns and also caught a 24-yard touchdown pass.

High School -- Named DuPage Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year and earned all-state honors from the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association as a senior... completed 132-of-194 passes for 1,663 yards with 15 touchdowns and only one interception for a Neuqua Valley High School squad that won the conference title... a nominee for the 2019 Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year award, he ran for 846 yards (6.9 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns... career totals included 2,863 passing yards, 1,219 rushing yards and a combined 39 touchdowns (22 passing and 17 rushing) while also earning all-conference honors as a junior... also earned academic all-state honors in football and received academic all-conference recognition in both basketball and baseball.

Personal -- Graduate nondepartmental student… parents are Ray and Deb… father was a quarterback at Drake University… sister Sarah played softball at Butler… older brother Ryan was a flag football special Olympian… high school head coach was Bill Ellinghaus.