On Black Friday, Mark Gronowski dives into Iowa history as the Hawkeyes defeat Nebraska. The long-running border rivalry between Iowa and Nebraska was more than just a match on Black Friday. It became a celebration of graduate quarterback Mark Gronowski’s new position in Hawkeye history as well as his dominance on the field. In addition to leading the offense, Gronowski ran his way into the record books as Iowa easily won 40–16 in Lincoln.
On Black Friday, Mark Gronowski dives into Iowa history as the Hawkeyes defeat Nebraska. The long-running border rivalry between Iowa and Nebraska was more than just a match on Black Friday. It became a celebration of graduate quarterback Mark Gronowski’s new position in Hawkeye history as well as his dominance on the field. In addition to leading the offense, Gronowski ran his way into the record books as Iowa easily won 40–16 in Lincoln.
Ferentz later remarked, grinning at the idea of his quarterback joining such prestigious company, “It sounds like Mark’s set some records.” “I believe he passed Ed Podolak, Wilburn Hollis, and Kenny Ploen.” Right there, that’s pretty good company. I’m not entirely shocked. What a wonderful person he is. He has simply been a fantastic member of our team. Although Gronowski’s arrival in Iowa City during the previous offseason was promising, few could have foreseen the combination of playmaking, leadership, and fortitude he would bring to the position. The quarterback acknowledged that his journey to this point wasn’t entirely straightforward and considered the significance of this season.
Gronowski remarked, “It’s been a lot of fun just thinking about the entire journey as a whole.” “I just tried to establish relationships when I came here. Naturally, I was sidelined for the entire spring season due to an injury, so all I could do was study the playbook, get to know the guys, and spend time with them. These straightforward initial actions—arriving, paying attention, and establishing a connection—set the stage for one of the smoothest quarterback transitions in Iowa’s recent history. Everything began to come together as soon as he regained full strength and started taking snaps.
He remarked, “The relationships were strong, and we continued to build those throughout the entire year.” “Spending time with those O-linemen, those silly guys up front, has been a lot of fun.” Above all, though, Gronowski cited a relationship with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tim Lester as the one that most influenced his development. Gronowski remarked, “Working with coach Lester has been an awesome deal.” “I can learn so much from him. Over the course of this year, he has taught me a great deal and changed the way I think about football in general. That has undoubtedly helped me throughout the season and will undoubtedly help me at the next level.
Every Saturday, he has demonstrated a deeper comprehension of the game, but never more so than against Nebraska, where his mobility and decision-making allowed Iowa to win the game early. His legs prolonged drives, disrupted the Huskers’ defense, and created opportunities for the offense as a whole. He now stands alone at the top of the single-season rushing list for the position because he has the kind of dynamic presence Iowa hasn’t had at quarterback in decades. Now that the regular season is over, Iowa focuses on the postseason. On December 7, the Hawkeyes will find out where they will play in the bowl, but no matter where they end up, Gronowski will always have a special place in Iowa history.
a collection of records. A victory in a rivalry was noted. And a season that seems to be becoming more and more unique. Friday in Lincoln was about more than just defeating Nebraska for Iowa, Ferentz, and most definitely Gronowski. It was about rewriting history, paying tribute to a journey, and laying the groundwork for future developments.
