Mark Gronowski will always be the first one to tell you that he was frustrated with his performance.

“I’m disappointed in how I played today,” were the quarterback’s first words after Iowa’s season-opening victory over Albany.

While Gronowski’s passing numbers – 8/15, 44 yards, one touchdown – left a lot to be desired, it could have been far worse.

Remember Iowa’s ugly 7-3, two-safety win against South Dakota State to open the 2022 season? I do, because it was my first game as a University of Iowa student.

I can vividly recall every detail besides the actual football game that was played on the field that day. It was hot and humid outside, I was sandwiched in between hundreds of smelly and sweaty college students, and my glasses lens decided to pop out in the fourth quarter, which rendered me unable to see for the remainder of the game.

All jokes aside, I’m bringing this game up because I want to talk about the Hawkeyes’ quarterback play. Spencer Petras completed 11 of 25 passing attempts for just 109 yards and one interception. He didn’t have anything going for him that day, and neither did Iowa’s offense. The Hawkeyes couldn’t run the ball or generate any sort of push at the line of scrimmage, which resulted in a disastrous performance.

Three years later, Iowa’s passing game in its season-opener remained putrid, but not all was lost on Saturday. As expected, the Hawkeyes ran all over Albany, totaling 310 yards on 53 carries. No matter the opponent, that’s a great statistic to have on your side.

The secret to a great rushing attack? Great offensive line play, and Iowa had just that against the Great Danes. Current offensive line stalwarts Gennings Dunker and Logan Jones were members of the 2022 squad, but they were just underclassmen at the time. Both are now seniors and regarded as some of the nation’s best offensive lineman.

This unit’s strong production was no surprise, but they deserve plenty of credit. Each time the Hawkeyes handed the ball off, whether it was to Xavier Williams or Terrell Washington Jr., plenty of green grass awaited them. That running room won’t be as plentiful next weekend against Iowa State, but Iowa had plenty of success running the ball against the Cyclones last year, which should give fans some optimism.

While the offensive line paved the way for their success, the Hawkeyes won this game due to an incredible showing by Williams, a first-year back who had never even touched the field prior to Saturday. No. 1 running back Kamari Moulton went down with an injury in the first quarter, which allowed Williams to see a higher volume of snaps.

The redshirt freshmen collected 122 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, highlighted by a 43-yard scamper in the second quarter that set up a touchdown. Williams’ performance impressed head coach Kirk Ferentz, who took the words right out of my mouth in his postgame press conference.

“Xavier played like a veteran guy, which was good to see,” he said after the game.

Ferentz was spot-on with this comment. Williams ran with confidence and poise, something that’s not often the case for a young running back. Playing in Ames will be a tough test for Williams, but he seems like he’s more than ready for the challenge.

And Gronowski?

He was South Dakota State’s starting quarterback on that fateful September day in 2022, completing 10 of 26 passes for just 87 yards. He could have let the frustration from the loss affect him for the rest of that season, but he didn’t.

Gronowski would throw for nearly 3,000 passing yards and 26 touchdowns that season. The Jackrabbits wouldn’t lose again until August 2024, a streak that resulted in back-to-back NCAA titles and the 2023 Walter Payton Award (best offensive player in the FCS) for Gronowski.

While Gronowski struggled on Saturday, it’s only Week 1, and his winning history and penchant for making key plays in big games should provide optimism, not concern.