Former University of Toledo quarterback Gradkowski will make a return home to the Glass Bowl when the St. Francis de Sales football team opens the season against Clyde on Friday, Aug. 20.
Gradkowski, who was named the Knights’ head coach on Tuesday, said he is looking forward to the return to where he made a name for himself as a Rockets legend.
“It's crazy how it has worked out, playing at the Glass Bowl, and now getting this opportunity is pretty exciting,” Gradkowski said. “It's going to be very cool to be back on the sidelines at the Glass Bowl.”
The Knights play their home games at the college stadium.
St. Francis athletic director Justin Edgell said St. Francis looked at multiple candidates, both internally and externally, before hiring Gradkowski on short notice.
“We reached out to Bruce and he expressed an interest,” Edgell said. “Sitting down with Bruce, we asked him why Toledo. He's a Pittsburgh guy. But this is home to him. His wife is from northwest Ohio and they love the area. He had great success at the University of Toledo and he continues to give back to northwest Ohio. This is where he wants to be. This is another way for him to give back, to share his skill set and knowledge.”
Gradkowski said St. Francis reminds him of the high school he played for, Seton-La Salle Catholic High School, a small private institution near Pittsburgh.
“It's not the biggest school and the people there make it. Just like St. Francis, it's the students and the teachers, faculty, and staff,” he said.
Last fall, former coach Dan Chipka led St. Francis to two straight playoff wins. The Knights went 4-2 during the regular season, all in league play due to the coronavirus-shortened season. St. Francis finished 6-3 overall after beating North Ridgeville and Anthony Wayne in postseason play. Chipka left for a college coaching position at Wingate University in North Carolina.
The Knights enjoyed a long string of success under former longtime coach Dick Cromwell, who is a member of the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame.
Cromwell, who is the City League's all-time winningest football coach, finished with 208 victories in 26 seasons at St. Francis.
Cromwell led the Knights to state championships in 1984 and 2001, as well as a runner-up finish in 1982. In Cromwell's last season in 2009, the Knights went 11-2 record with an 11th state playoff appearance.
“St. Francis has a rich tradition going way back. We will continue to build upon that,” Gradkowski said.
After Cromwell's departure, the Knights struggled to find consistent success. St. Francis endured a three-year stretch where the team went 3-27, including a first-ever 0-10 season in 2016.
“I was a student and played for Dick Cromwell,” Edgell said. “We know what he did and what he accomplished here. Then we hit kind of a low point and went through several different coaches. Dan kind of revived us. My conversations with Bruce is that he has big goals for our program and it's not just to make the playoffs. There are a lot of things we want to accomplish, from beating our rivals to bringing some hardware back to our hallways. He wants to capture the crown. He wants to go for it all.”
Gradkowski had a record-setting career at Toledo and was selected by Tampa Bay in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL draft.
Following Tampa Bay, he also has played for Cleveland, Oakland, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh.
Gradkowski played in 34 games in the NFL and threw for 4,057 yards and 21 touchdowns.
“He brings instant credibility,” Edgell said. “It's all there. Our student-athletes will know who he is, or a quick Google search we tell them very quickly who he is.”
At Toledo from 2001 to 2005, Gradkowski set 27 school passing records in his three-year career. During his three years at the helm, Gradkowski led UT to a 26-11 record, a Mid-American Conference championship, two MAC West Division titles, and two bowl games.
Gradkowski is the Rockets' career leader in passing yards (9,225), passing completions (766), and TD passes (85).
First Published June 20, 2021, 5:00 p.m.
