South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski, the reigning FCS player of the year, has entered the transfer portal, The Athletic confirmed Sunday. ESPN first reported Gronowski’s portal entry.
Gronowski guided the Jackrabbits to national titles in 2022 and 2023 and a semifinal appearance this fall. During the 2023 season, Gronowski swept nearly every national honor, including the coveted Walter Payton Award, FCS’s version of the Heisman Trophy. He is a Walter Payton Award finalist again this year.
This season, Gronowski completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 2,721 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also rushed for 380 yards and 10 scores. In four seasons with the Jackrabbits, Gronowski threw for 10,330 yards, 93 touchdowns and 20 interceptions while rushing for 1,767 yards and 37 scores.
As a true freshman in 2020-21, Gronowski guided the program to a championship appearance in the spring of 2021 but suffered an injury that cost him the 2021 fall season. He was 49-6 as the Jackrabbits’ starting quarterback.
Gronowski, who stands 6-feet-3 and weighs 230 pounds, also could declare for the NFL draft. Three weeks ago, he accepted an invitation to compete in the East-West Shrine Bowl.
A mechanical engineering major from Naperville, Ill., Gronowski’s portal entry comes one day after coach Jimmy Rogers left South Dakota State for Washington State. Gronowski joins sophomore receiver Griffin Wilde (71 catches, 1,154 yards, 12 touchdowns) as coveted South Dakota State players entering the portal this weekend.
Where could Gronowski go?
If Gronowski chooses to transfer, three schools immediately stand out as possible destinations. He could join Rogers at Washington State, which lost star quarterback John Mateer to Oklahoma. Gronowski could transfer to Northwestern, where former offensive coordinator Zach Lujan enters his second year at that position with Northwestern. A potential wild card is Iowa, which is located about three hours west of Gronowski’s Chicagoland hometown and needs a starting quarterback.
Required reading
(Photo: Brian Bahr / Getty Images)
