Iowa struck gold with transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski as he added to his legacy with a record-setting first and only season in Iowa City.
After throwing for 10,330 passing yards and 93 touchdowns at South Dakota State, Gronowski entered the transfer portal and joined the Hawkeyes.
His tenure in Iowa City began with a shoulder injury that kept him out until the summer, and after a few bumps and bruises early on, he smashed records left and right.
Gronowski set two program records, including rushing yards in a single season by a quarterback (491) and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season (15).
Gronowski's stellar season helped Iowa fans forget about previous missteps in the portal, and now, the Hawkeyes might dip their toes into the transfer portal waters once again.
West Florida standout transfer QB Marcus Stokes has heard from these schools since entering the @TransferPortal, he tells @On3Sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 10, 2025
The 6’2 210 QB totaled 3,664 yards & 40 TDs this season
Is a finalist for the Harlon Hill (D2 Heisman)https://t.co/HntQTAnGZy pic.twitter.com/yMTf5RdtJR
Iowa is one of the many programs to check in on West Florida quarterback Marcus Stokes after he recently entered the transfer portal.
Stokes was a talented four-star high school quarterback prospect for Nease High School in Ponte Verde Beach, Florida, before joining the Argonauts in 2023.
247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins stated that Stokes is the type of quarterback "that isn't afraid to take risks," and compared him to current NFL quarterback Kenny Pickett.
Stokes verbally committed to the University of Florida before a controversial video surfaced of him using a racial slur, forcing the Gators to pull his offer.
Gronowski is finishing his final year of college eligibility, and the Hawkeyes will have three backup quarterbacks (Jeremy Hecklinski, Hank Brown, and Jimmy Sullivan) with no significant college experience.
The Hawkeyes are also adding a talented, but unproven quarterback, Tradon Bessinger, after flipping him from Boise State.
Still, it is never a bad idea to bring in a proven commodity at the most critical position on the field.
Stokes had a productive sophomore campaign, throwing for 3,297 yards and 30 touchdowns, while adding 367 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, and is a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy (Div. II Heisman).