Top FCS transfer QB explains why he chose Iowa over Miami

A recent report from X confirms that South Dakota State transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski rejected interest from the Miami Hurricanes in favor of committing to the Iowa Hawkeyes. Gronowski was originally slotted to take a visit to Miami but in a recent podcast interview, he admitted that after his visit to Iowa, he decided to not go on the scheduled visit with the Hurricanes.

Gronowski excelled at South Dakota State (2020–2024), leading the Jackrabbits to back-to-back FCS National Championships and earning MVP honors in multiple title games. Coming off of 55 starts at one of the best programs in the FCS, he was one of the most sought after QB's in the winter transfer portal. The 2023 Walter Payton Award winner said he opted for Iowa's pro-style offense in hopes that it would better prepare him for the NFL.

"The opportunity with (Tim) Lester being a former NFL coach, being an assistant in the Packers offense and bringing that NFL offense to get me to that next level is huge," Gronowski said.

Tim Lester is the current offensive coordinator at Iowa after serving as a Senior Analyst for the Green Bay Packers in 2023.

Other schools that he said were in the mix included Washington State (for his connection with the South Dakota staff), Texas Tech and Wake Forest. According to On3, Gronowski is ranked as the No. 8 transfer QB and No. 60 player overall in the recent transfer portal class (winter and spring cycles).

Gronowski will enter his lone season of eligibility in Iowa City — a program that historically has had limited recent success developing NFL-level quarterbacks. Nonetheless, his arrival has generated buzz, with early NFL draft discussion hinting at a potential upward trajectory. For the Miami Hurricanes, things ended up working out for them as they earned a commitment from transfer QB Carson Beck who is ranked as the top overall player in the recent transfer portal class, per On3.