Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester discussed Iowa’s quarterback situation going into the teams road trip to Madison on Saturday. Lester started his media availability by addressing Gronkowski and his play so far this season. “It’s tough. I’m sure he would tell you he wished he played better. Everyone does. His feet were alittle giddy. Made a couple of big throws. Missed a couple I’m sure he wants back. “He was going to the right places. We just got to get his feet underneath him. He has such great feet, calm feet.
“That’s one of the reasons he had a pretty good spring and into fall camp, and — everyone’s feet, Mark’s feet looked like that on Week 1 too, and Mark’s feet have improved. The last three games, I feel as if I think he’s like at 70% completion. He understands it. He’s comfortable with it. Any quarterback that goes in there for the first time — they need to calm down and relax a little bit. I thought he did that. He made some good plays, but he has to improve.”
Lester was asked about getting Brown and freshman quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski ready in case Gronowski has to miss some time.
“It’s a huge week. I can tell you this about Hank. Hank at the end of spring ball was really humming. You know, started a little bit slow this camp, and then really started pushing Mark at one point once his feet got back to comfortable again.
“Heck is a great little player now. He’s tough. He’s got a little swagger to him. He reminds me of when I played, like a little gun slinger. He’s aggressive, you know. But he just wasn’t here very long, and now he’s been here. So it’s fun to have two guys that have a ton of talent, that don’t have a ton of experience, but they have a ton of talent. They just need to be around it and hear it.
Iowa takes on Wisconsin Saturday at 6pm. The game can be heard on FM 93.1 and is brought to you locally by Muscatine Power and Water, Community Health Care Dental Clinic and Ed Morse Chevy, Buick GMC.
