In the months following South Dakota States second straight national championship, there was one question on the mind of every Jackrabbits fan.
Will Mark Gronowski come back next year?
While Gronowski dropped hints at his decision such as his participation in the teams annual spring game he made it official on Tuesday night, posting Michael Jordans famous press release that signaled his return to the Chicago Bulls in 1995 on his X account.
The way in which Gronowski announced his return was fitting not only for a quarterback who grew up just under an hour from Chicago but a player whose impact is similar to the SDSU football program as Jordans was on the Bulls franchise. But while Gronowskis legacy is already cemented in Jackrabbits history, his final chapter will serve as a stabilizer for this current team.
In todays landscape of college football, Gronowskis return was never certain. Athletes transfer at the drop of a hat and name, image and likeness deals commonly known to fans as NIL are a key factor in whether a player decides to stay or find greener pastures.
The Jacks havent been hit as hard by transfer rules as other programs, but theyve still had significant turnover. On offense, SDSU lost two NFL draft picks with Mason McCormick selected in the fourth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Isaiah Davis selected in the fifth round by the New York Jets.
All-American offensive tackle Garret Greenfield signed as a priority undrafted free agent with the Seattle Seahawks. Zach Heins, whose do-it-all, hard-nosed game was pivotal at tight end, signed a UDFA deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. Jadon and Jaxon Janke, who have been one of the top receiving duos in the Football Championship Subdivision the past three seasons, also signed UDFA deals with the Houston Texans.
The turnover also made its way to the coaching booth, where Zach Lujan departed to take over as the offensive coordinator at Northwestern.
Mix in the graduation of offensive tackle John OBrian and H-back Michael Morgan and SDSU could have had eight different starters on offense and a new offensive coordinator before Gronowski made his decision to come back.
Like any team, the Jacks are equipped to handle turnover. Amar Johnsons served as Daviss backup over the past two years and came close to a starters workload, carrying the ball 128 times for 801 yards and four touchdowns last season.
Griffin Wilde had a strong freshman year with and Grahm Goering will step into an elevated role at receiver. Remington Award winner Gus Miller returns at center and Even Beernsten also returns at right guard.
The Jacks have also promoted offensive line coach Ryan Olson and brought in former North Dakota offensive coordinator Danny Freund to a co-offensive coordinator role to replace Lujan but even if Chase Mason was ready to step in at quarterback, getting Gronowski back on this team is an epic win.
A quarterback who has won back-to-back national championships and the 2023 Walter Payton Award as a top player in the FCS is a player to welcome back with open arms, but its extremely important for a team that doesnt come in with as much experience as it has the past two seasons.
Consider the Jacks 2024 schedule which includes an opener at Oklahoma State and a home game against Incarnate Word the following weekend. SDSU also has to run the Missouri Valley Conference gauntlet while also making a trip to North Dakota State on Oct. 19.
Theres also something to be said about Gronowskis legacy not just at SDSU but in the FCS. Hes already the most decorated quarterback in program history but there would be something special about doing it with next years team. Hes 13 wins shy of becoming the winningest quarterback in FCS history and if he can lead the Jacks to a third straight national championship, he could become one of the greatest quarterbacks to play at this level.
Gronowski has one more year of eligibility after this season and its likely the same questions will be asked no matter how SDSUs season turns out. But in a season where a lot will be different, having Gronowski back is the ultimate stabilizer.
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