Lincoln-Way East’s Josh Janowski couldn’t say “yes” fast enough.
In 2022, Janowski attended a camp at Iowa and fell in love with the place. But last fall came and went without an offer, even though he picked up interest from mid-major schools.
So, on Saturday, Jan. 28, when Iowa called him up seemingly out of the blue with a scholarship offer, there was no hesitation.
“I committed on the spot,” he said.
But Hawkeyes offensive line coach George Barnett didn’t want to take yes for an answer right away. He thought Janowski should at least think about it over the weekend.
“The O-line coach said he wasn’t taking the commitment until at least Monday,” Lincoln-Way East coach Rob Zvonar said. “Monday came and Josh committed again. It was crazy.”
This time, the commitment was accepted by Iowa, and Janowski let the world know via social media that he planned on becoming a Hawkeye.
First things first, however. The senior offensive lineman helped the Griffins get off to a 1-0 start Saturday with a 52-12 victory over Kenwood at Gately Stadium in Chicago.
When Janowski committed to Iowa, other programs took notice, though. The 6-foot-3, 275-pound center started getting more Big Ten offers.
“It’s funny, but right after that, Wisconsin called and Ohio State called,” Zvonar said. “They offered if he would consider changing his mind. To Josh’s credit, it might have been tempting, but he stayed steadfast.”
Janowski also can’t get wait to get to Iowa City fast enough. He plans on graduating high school early and heading in January to college.
What makes Iowa so special to him? He has a laundry list of reasons.
“Oh, man, there’s a lot,” he said. “I went there for a camp last July and everything was just awesome about it. There are a lot of people from East that went to Iowa like Adam Gettis, Turner Pallissard and Jackson Ritter.”
Oh, and a Hawkeye who didn’t go to Lincoln-Way East also made an impact.
Tyler Linderbaum, a 6-foot-2, 305-pound center, played for Iowa and was selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. He played in 17 games as a rookie for the Baltimore Ravens.
“I see Ty Linderbaum, who went first round, and he’s the same height as me,” Janowski said. “I like how Iowa develops their players and produces NFL stars.”
Janowski is a three-year starter for Lincoln-Way East, which finished second in the state last season in Class 8A. The Griffins are in the conversation to win state this year.
Lincoln-Way East got shut out in the first quarter Saturday but erupted in the final 36 minutes in the rout of Kenwood.
Senior quarterback Braden Tischer, who threw for 174 yards and three touchdowns, is glad to have Janowski leading the charge on the line.
“I’ve never seen him get beat on a one-on-one,” Tischer said of Janowski. “On the field, the center is the captain of the O-line. He makes all the calls every play for the line.
“He’s teaching everyone and telling them what they need to do. In the weight room. He’s putting up big numbers. He’s killing it everywhere he goes. He has 100% of my trust.”
The Griffins, who are ranked No. 1 in Class 8A by The Associated Press, plays Batavia (1-0) at 7 p.m. Friday. The host Bulldogs are ranked No. 2 in 7A.
Janowski wants to erase the sting from a 13-3 loss to Loyola in last season’s 8A state championship game.
“It was tough seeing all of the seniors leave on that note, but it put more fuel in the fire for this year,” he said. “Our goal, obviously, is to win state.
“We have a lot of returners, and I’m excited.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
