QB Gronowski goes from torn ACL to another FCS 肩書を与える 発射
FRISCO, Texas (AP) - South Dakota 明言する／公表する quarterback 示す Gronowski thought he had just 新たな展開d his ankle on the 開始 一連の an unusual FCS 肩書を与える game two springs ago. It turned out to be much worse than that.
Nearly 20 months after 涙／ほころびing the ACL in his left 膝 on a 3-yard run, and then 行方不明の the 2021 落ちる season that quickly followed, Gronowski is 支援する in North Texas for another 肩書を与える 発射. The Jackrabbits play Missouri Valley Football 会議／協議会 競争相手 and perennial Football 選手権 Subdivision 支持する／優勝者 North Dakota 明言する／公表する on Sunday.
"Most people only get one chance to play in a 国家の 選手権, if ever. Just to have the second 適切な時期 and get a 肉親，親類d of chance to redeem myself and redeem the entire team, it´s a blessing," Gronowski said Friday from a room overlooking the field where he got 傷つける in May 2021. "I just remember walking in the first time, just 存在 like `Wow,' like I´m excited for this moment and I can´t wait to be in this game. And that´s 肉親，親類d of the feeling I have again 権利 now."
The Jackrabbits (13-1) have won 13 in a 列／漕ぐ／騒動 since a 7-3 loss at Big Ten team Iowa to open this season. That streak 含むs a 23-21 復帰 勝利，勝つ at defending champ North Dakota 明言する／公表する in October - the same 得点する／非難する／２０ of South Dakota 明言する／公表する's 肩書を与える game loss to Sam Houston 明言する／公表する, which blew a 10-point lead before its winning touchdown with 16 seconds left.
Gronowski was a true freshman during that pandemic-影響する／感情d season when South Dakota 明言する／公表する and 退役軍人 coa ch John Stiegelmeier made their first FCS 肩書を与える game. After the quarterback's 3-yard keeper on the first play and a 16-yard pass, he got 傷つける in a pile at the end of another 3-yard run before a third-負かす／撃墜する incompletion on his last snap.
In what is now his sophomore season, Gronowski has thrown for 2,743 yards and 23 touchdowns with only five interceptions. He also has 11 急ぐing 得点する／非難する／２０s.
"示す´s 復帰 and his 出資／貢献 to our football team is far greater than what you see on the field or in the stats. He´s our best leader," said Stiegelmeier, in his 26th season at his 母校.
"The level of 尊敬（する）・点 the guys have for him is 無敵の," 上級の left guard Mason McCormick said. "It means the world to all of us that he´s 支援する here."
Gronowski had 外科 the week after the 肩書を与える game, then spent about six weeks at home in Illinois before returning to campus in Brookings, South Dakota. He 述べるd the long 旅行 coming 支援する as a strenuous 過程 that got monotonous at times. With the help of trainer Charlie Miller, he 焦点（を合わせる）d on each 進歩ing goal, from walking again, to running, then cutting and throwing.
When Gronowski returned for this season's opener at Iowa. McCormick felt everybody "was 持つ／拘留するing their breath" before the first time the quarterback got 攻撃する，衝突する.
"What I see now in January than what I saw in October, I see a young man who looks to be much more healthy," said North Dakota 明言する／公表する coach Matt Entz, whose team's third 連続した loss to the Jackrabbits was at home in 中央の-October. "I´m sure they weren´t やむを得ず wanting to get him 伴う／関わるd into the quarterback run game as much as they have of late."
Eve n though he couldn't play last season, Gronowski was still fully 伴う／関わるd with the team. He got a different 視野 wearing a headset on the sideline and signaling in 不快な／攻撃 plays.
"That was really exciting for me, just because I got to be around everyone and still got to be a leader on the sidelines and 肉親，親類d of learn from the coaches on what they think," he said. "That has really helped me this season with pre-snap 計画（する）s and 肉親，親類d of understanding 弁護s a little bit more."
非，不，無 of that surprised his チーム仲間s or coaches. Stiegelmeier said the quarterback was already the team's best leader even before playing his first game.
"In the 落ちる when we were つまずくing around practicing ... I had players coming into my office 説, 示す´s got to be our starting quarterback," Stiegelmeier said.
The quarterback who has now made it to FCS 肩書を与える games in both seasons he has played.
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