One of the primary soccer gamers that former Neuqua Valley quarterback Mark Gronowski realized about was Chicago Bears nice Walter Payton.
Gronowski was born a few years after Payton died in 1999 however quickly heard all about him.
“As early as I can remember,” Gronowski stated. “Walter Payton was my dad’s favourite participant rising up. He was all the time speaking in regards to the ‘85 Bears.
“I just remember my dad getting me those old, kid Bears helmets and Bears jerseys and all that good stuff.”
Did Gronowski have a Payton jersey?
“My dad always had the 34 jersey, but I always had more of the current players,” he stated. “I was a Brian Urlacher guy growing up.”
Now Gronowski’s a Payton man.
On Jan. 6, Gronowski received the Walter Payton Award, given to essentially the most excellent offensive participant within the Football Championship Subdivision of Division I. One day later, he led South Dakota State to its second consecutive nationwide championship.
Past winners of the award embrace quarterbacks Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance, operating backs Adrian Peterson and Brian Westbrook, and receiver Cooper Kupp.
“It’s a real honor to win an award named after a Chicago legend,” Gronowski stated. “It’s really cool, especially being a kid from the Chicagoland area, growing up in Naperville and being a Chicago Bears fan my entire life.”
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Gronowski accomplished 209 of 307 passes for 29 touchdowns with 5 interceptions this season. He additionally rushed 93 instances for 402 yards and eight touchdowns whereas guiding the Jackrabbits (15-0) to their first good season.
Gronowski, a redshirt junior, capped the run in South Dakota State’s 23-3 victory over Montana within the championship sport in Frisco, Texas, on Sunday. He accomplished 13 of 21 passes for 175 yards, one landing and one interception, and he rushed for 53 yards on eight carries, together with a 10-yard landing run.
“It was a different feeling, for sure, compared to last year because last year was the first one for the university,” Gronowski stated. “This 12 months was simply as candy, however it was sort of for various causes.
“There were a lot of six-year seniors who are going to end up getting a shot at the NFL next year and a bunch of guys that I was really close with. We were trying to get one last win for them and kind of send them out on top.”
That selfless angle was mirrored in Gronowski’s response to successful the Walter Payton Award.
“As all awards really are, it’s a team award, and I couldn’t really do it without the guys in front of me, the O-line creating time for me and then the guys on the outside making plays,” he stated. “We’ve got so many great playmakers on our team that make my life a lot easier.”
But Neuqua Valley coach Bill Ellinghaus stated there’s a purpose the Jackrabbits have received 29 consecutive video games with Gronowski, who’s 37-3 as a starter in his profession.
“I’m not taking anything away from their line and their running back and their defense and coaching staff,” Ellinghaus stated. “They do a great job. But it starts around your quarterback, and he’s been better than everybody else out there.”
Gronowski can beat opponents with greater than his arm and legs.
“He’s a smart quarterback, and I think all great quarterbacks are smart quarterbacks,” Ellinghaus stated. “He understands the protection, what they’re attempting to do.
“Furthermore, he’s an absolute tremendous leader. That’s the thing I think that separates him from even other great quarterbacks I’ve been around. He makes everybody around him better.”
Gronowski is one in every of 4 space gamers on the South Dakota State roster, which incorporates former Neuqua Valley teammate Patrick Hoffmann, a junior receiver, and two Naperville North alums, sophomore quarterback Jon Bell and freshman offensive lineman Jackson Kerstin.
Gronowski, who will graduate in May with a level in mechanical engineering, intends to pursue an NFL profession in some unspecified time in the future. But he has two years of eligibility left and is planning to return to South Dakota State.
“It’s crazy to think about going back four years to where I was at Neuqua,” Gronowski stated. “I couldn’t have dreamed it to be higher than this. It’s turned out higher than I may have ever dreamed of — going back-to-back nationwide championships, assembly so many nice folks up right here, it’s simply been so implausible.
“South Dakota State was probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life.”
Matt Le Cren is a contract reporter for the Naperville Sun.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com