Iowa football has been a consistent power in the Big Ten throughout head coach Kirk Ferentz’s 27-year tenure. The Hawkeyes reached the conference championship game just two seasons ago.
However, Ferentz’s squad hasn’t been one known for its offensive play in recent years.
In 2022, Spencer Petras started the majority of the season under center, playing in 12 games. He averaged just 143.8 yards per contest, throwing five touchdowns and five interceptions.
In 2023, Cade McNamara and Deacon Hill started for the Hawkeyes, as the former suffered a season-ending injury and was replaced by the latter. Iowa averaged just 15.4 points per game — 132nd of 133 Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
McNamara returned in 2024 but largely struggled in eight games. Brendan Sullivan and Jackson Stratton split time throughout the rest of the season, and Iowa finished with an 8-5 record. However, the Hawkeyes’ offense bumped its production up to 27.7 points under first-year offensive coordinator Tim Lester, who replaced Brian Ferentz — Kirk’s son.
Now, in 2025, Iowa’s offense is commanded by the winningest quarterback in college football history — graduate student Mark Gronowski.
Gronowski committed to the Hawkeyes out of the transfer portal in early January after spending four seasons at Football Championship Subdivision power South Dakota State University. He went 49-6 with the Jackrabbits, winning two national championships in 2022 and 2023.
The Naperville, Illinois, native won the Walter Camp Award — the FCS equivalent of the Heisman Trophy — in 2023 and was a finalist in 2024.
But although Gronowski committed to the Hawkeyes ahead of spring practice, he missed its duration as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. Spring is valuable for new players to acclimate at their new school, but he didn’t get that luxury. Instead, his first on-field action came in fall camp.
Gronowski began the regular season with a pair of rough outings. He completed just 53.3% and 54.2% of his passes, throwing for 127 total yards with a touchdown and an interception as the Hawkeyes split their first two games.
However, Gronowski upped his play over the last two games, connecting on 66.7% of his passes in each. He threw for 365 combined yards and two touchdowns. But where he’s made his mark is in the rushing game — 143 yards rushing and six scores on 46 carries.
“He's got good mobility,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said about Gronowski in a press conference Monday. “They'll run him, designed runs. And then there's some where he could give it or run it. And they've got good play-action, out-of-pocket game. And in the pocket he can make the throws. He's got a strong arm. They built the offense around the quarterback. There's some new design there.”
Although Gronowski has been sacked eight times through four games, he plays behind the best offensive line in the country, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Hawkeyes’ line — comprised of left tackle Trevor Lauck, left guard Beau Stephens, center Logan Jones, right guard Kade Pieper and right tackle Gennings Dunker — has a 97.1 PFF grade, which is 10.6 points higher than any other in the country. Dunker is the lone member of the unit that’s not first at his position, although he’s second.
“They're big, they're physical, they move well,” senior linebacker Aiden Fisher said during media availability Tuesday. “When you go against a physical O-line like that, you really got to be on your P's and Q's. You got to strike well at the point of attack. And then scheme wise, you got to be able to manipulate some fits.”
Iowa is fifth in the Big Ten in rushing offense, averaging 200.5 yards per contest. However, it will be without freshman running back Xavier Williams and junior running back Jaziun Patterson due to injury. The two are the Hawkeyes’ top rushers so far this season.
Still, Gronowski is capable of burning defenses with his legs. The Hoosiers struggled containing Old Dominion University redshirt sophomore quarterback Colton Joseph in their season opener Aug. 30. They’ll look to prevent Gronowski from notching two 75-plus yard touchdowns like Joseph did.
“He does a great job with the play actions, and the boot passes and stuff like that,” Fisher said. “So, you have to be aware of where the ball is. And when he has the ball in his hand, make him pay for it and get him on the ground.”
Fisher said he’s watched each of the Hawkeyes’ four games this season, recognizing Gronowski as a “very talented player.” However, he said the Hoosiers will be prepared come 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
“So, he presents a good challenge for us,” Fisher said, “but I think we have a really good plan for him.”
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
