New WSU Cougars coach’s star QB to enter transfer portal
Dec 29, 2024, 3:01 PM
Quarterback Mark Gronowski of South Dakota State throws against Iowa in 2022. (Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
(Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
A day after the WSU Cougars named Jimmy Rogers their new head football coach, his star quarterback at South Dakota State is set to enter the transfer portal.
WSU Cougars hire Jimmy Rogers as next head football coach
Mark Gronowski has told ESPN he intends to enter the transfer portal, the outlet said in a report Sunday afternoon. Gronowsi was dubbed the “top player in the FCS in recent seasons” by ESPN’s Pete Thamel in the article, as well as the most experienced QB who would be available as a transfer.
MARK GRONOWSKI TO GRIFFIN WILDE!!! 🤯
📺ESPN+/@NCAA_FCS#GoJacks 🐰🏈 pic.twitter.com/BIbve4PSsi
— SDSU Football (@GoJacksFB) December 14, 2024
It’s been a rough calendar year for WSU football fans, who have seen head coach Jake Dickert, offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, athletic director Pat Chun, and starting quarterbacks Cam Ward (2023) and John Mateer (2024) – among many other key players – all leave since last January. That’s all come while the school has tried to navigate a transitional period in college football where the Pac-12 has ceased to be, leaving Wazzu and Oregon State to pick up the pieces of the once powerful conference.
The news of Gronowski becoming available almost immediately after Rogers was hired by Washington State could mean brighter days ahead in Pullman, potentially giving the Cougars a chance at redemption after Mateer followed Arbuckle to Oklahoma earlier this month. But all signs point to Gronowski being highly coveted by power conference programs, if not even NFL teams.
Gronowski went 49-6 as South Dakota State’s starting QB, helping the Jackrabbits win a pair of national championships. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Illinois native completed 206 of 338 pass attempts for 2,721 yards, 23 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2024, which led to a 146.9 passer rating. He was even better as a junior in 2023, throwing 209 of 307 for 3,058 yards, 29 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 179.7 rating to lead the Jackrabbits to a second straight FCS title.
Mark Gronowski ➡️ Jadon Janke = 6⃣
23 yards as the Jackrabbits go up by three scores
South Dakota State 20, Montana 3 pic.twitter.com/YKcpEMTLTv
— SDSU Football (@GoJacksFB) January 7, 2024
Gronowski’s 49 wins as a starting QB rank second only to former North Dakota State QB Easton Stick in FCS history.
According to ESPN’s report, Gronowski isn’t 100% committed to staying in college for a fifth year of eligibility and will consider entering the NFL Draft. That’s similar to what Ward did last year, as he initially entered the draft class before ultimately transferring from WSU to Miami, where he became a Heisman Trophy finalist.
A patchwork Cougars team lost the Holiday Bowl in San Diego to No. 22 Syracuse 52-35 on Friday with Zevi Eckhaus at QB and assistant head coach and defensive tackles coach Pete Kalagis serving as interim head coach.
More on WSU Cougars football
• Bump: How WSU Cougars should sell football program to recruits
• Dickert gives statement to ‘Coug Nation’ after leaving WSU
• Jake Dickert embraces Wake Forest’s stability
• Instant Reaction: Dickert leaves WSU — Brock and Bump weigh in
• Joel Klatt: WSU QB’s transfer highlights ‘totally broken’ system
