Tag: Kurtis Rourke

Indiana officially announces Kurtis Rourke as starter

Curt Cignetti officially announces Kurtis Rourke as IU’s starting QB this weekend

As was speculated earlier in the day, Indiana Kurtis Rourke has been announced as the Hoosiers starting quarterback for their game against Michigan State inside of Spartan Stadium this weekend. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti made the announcement on Thursday night during his weekly radio show.

Rourke didn’t play last week after he received surgery for a thumb injury he suffered against Nebraska.

The Ohio transfer has gone 135/181 for 1,941 yards, 15 touchdowns and 3 interceptions this season, a year in which Indiana has yet to suffer defeat.

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247Sports provides update on IU starting QB Kurtis Rourke ahead of MSU game

The Spartans will be getting the best from Indiana this week

The Spartans will be getting the best from Indiana this week.

Indiana starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke continues to be on pace to play this week at Michigan State, according to Brandon Marcello of 247Sports. Marcello reported that as of Wednesday night, Rourke “is on track to start Saturday at Michigan State.”

Earlier this week, Pete Thamel of ESPN reported a similar status on Rourke and it sounds like that hasn’t changed throughout the first few days of practice this week.

In seven games this year, Rourke has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns compared to three interceptions. He transferred to Indiana from Ohio this past offseason and is a huge reason the Hoosiers are 8-0.

Kickoff between the Spartans and Hoosiers is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. The game will be available to watch via Peacock streaming.

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ESPN Insider Pete Thamel reports update on IU QB Kurtis Rourke

It appears Indiana will be getting its starting quarterback back for this week’s matchup against the Spartans

It appears Indiana will get its starting quarterback back for this week’s game against Michigan State.

ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel reported there is continued optimism that Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke will play on Saturday against the Spartans. Rourke suffered a thumb injury two weeks ago that required surgery to fix.

In seven games this year, Rourke has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns compared to three interceptions. He transferred to Indiana from Ohio this past offseason and is a huge reason the Hoosiers are 8-0.

Kickoff between the Spartans and Hoosiers is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. The game will be available to watch via Peacock streaming.

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Rival quarterback out indefinitely following Saturday’s game against Nebraska

Kurtis Rourke will be out for an extended period of time after an injury he suffered Saturday.

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke is out indefinitely for the 2024 season after suffering a thumb injury against Nebraska on Saturday, per NBCSports’ Nicole Auerbach.

Rourke continued to play despite his thumb injury and was successful against the Huskers’ defense. He did not play in the second half of the game but recorded 189 yards, a touchdown, and an interception on the day.

The injury news ends Rourke’s season. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten, throwing for 1,941 yards, 15 touchdowns, and three interceptions. His 91.8 quarterback rating was second in the conference. He recorded a 162.7 rating against the Huskers on Saturday.

It will be interesting to see when he returns to action this season. He was undoubtedly an offensive catalyst for an undefeated Hoosiers team looking to take the next step in its development as a program. Now, he will be on the mend, at least for a little while.

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Is ESPN College GameDay coming to Wisconsin vs. Penn State in Week 9?

Is ESPN College GameDay coming to Wisconsin vs. No. 3 Penn State in Week 9?

The Wisconsin Badgers (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) exit Week 8 winners of three consecutive games — 52-6 over Purdue, 42-7 over Rutgers and a 23-3 triumph over Northwestern.

They return home to host No. 3 Penn State (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) in Week 9. The game, which is a primetime national broadcast on NBC, has quickly become one of the biggest of the sport’s Week 9 schedule.

Related: Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 8: Wisconsin makes a charge

Other notable matchups include Nebraska at No. 4 Ohio State, No. 12 Notre Dame at No. 24 Navy, No. 20 Illinois at No. 1 Oregon, No. 21 Missouri at No. 16 Alabama, No. 5 Texas at No. 25 Vanderbilt and No. 8 LSU at No. 14 Texas A&M.

College GameDay will not be visiting any of the listed matchups. It also won’t be in Madison, Wisconsin for the Badgers’ big game against the Nittany Lions.

GameDay announced on Sunday that it would be traveling to Bloomington, Indiana for No. 13 Indiana (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) against Washington (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten).

Indiana enters off a statement 56-7 victory over Nebraska. Starting QB Kurtis Rourke was injured during the win, and is now expected to miss the Washington game. But that storyline won’t overshadow Indiana becoming the talk of the college football world.

Head coach Curt Cignetti has the Hoosiers on the doorstep of College Football Playoff contention in only his first season on the job — that after taking over a program that went 3-9 in the final year under Tom Allen in 2023.

Wisconsin could potentially host GameDay in mid-November when No. 1 Oregon comes to town. The Badgers would need a win over Penn State or Iowa, or both, in order to generate sufficient hype before the matchup.

For now, the Badgers are still a step away from the national spotlight.

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Ohio State football’s late-season battle with Indiana could be without key star

Ohio State football will take on Indiana later in the season, and the Hoosiers could be down their starting quarterback for the battle.

Ohio State football has one loss in conference play, dropping a road match with the No. 1-ranked Oregon Ducks. Other than that, it has dominated Big Ten battles, throttling teams like Michigan State and Iowa.

The Buckeyes have a few massive games left on their resume, including a road matchup with the No. 3-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions.

Their only other top-25 matchup is against Indiana on November 23, and as it currently stands, the Hoosiers could be without their starting quarterback, who will miss the team’s seventh game of the season Saturday against the Washington Huskies with a thumb injury.

He’s supposed to return, but it’s unclear when per Pete Thamel.

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1847984750884974636

With about a month between now and when the Buckeyes face Indiana at home, Rourke has time for that thumb to heal, but given the importance of it at the quarterback position, it certainly could linger well into the future.

Rourke has been among the best quarterbacks in college football and could be a Heisman candidate if he misses just a week or so and can keep the Hoosiers’ torrid play into November.

That said, the Buckeyes should want Indiana still undefeated in November as a win at home would be a huge resume booster given their weak and heavily scrutinized non-conference schedule.

Kurtis Rourke continues to improve his draft stock with unbeaten Indiana

Kurtis Rourke continues to improve his 2025 NFL Draft stock with unbeaten Indiana

The Indiana Hoosiers keep on winning, and quarterback Kurtis Rourke keeps on boosting his 2025 NFL Draft stock with each win.

Indiana ripped apart visiting Nebraska on Saturday, thanks in part to a near-perfect first half of football from Rourke. A transfer from Ohio, where he was a three-year starter for the Bobcats, Rourke keeps on playing like he should be much more prominent in the draft discussion.

His accuracy, feathery touch, quick-release zip, excellent pocket awareness and opportunistic running were all on display against Nebraska–just as they were in Hoosier wins over UCLA, Northwestern and every other team Indiana has played. Against the Cornhuskers, Rourke completed 17 of his 21 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game at halftime after hitting his throwing thumb on a Nebraska defender late in the half.

Rourke has prototypical NFL size at 6-foot-5 and 223 pounds. His head coach, Curt Cignetti, compared him to Philip Rivers in terms of his unflappable presence and competitiveness. Rourke is a significantly higher-end and more NFL-ready QB prospect than his older brother, Nathan, who had reserve runs before heading to the CFL.

It could be that NFL pundits are a little gunshy on Rourke because of that CFL connection. Rourke is Canadian and is likely to be the top pick in the CFL draft. His brother Nathan is a star for the B.C. Lions, and it seems like many expect Nathan’s unsavory experience in the NFL to send Kurtis, who turns 24 this month, back to his homeland to play, too. That would be a disservice to the bigger, more talented young brother.

His multitude of strong game film, experience and physical talent make Rourke a viable Day 2 prospect at this point. It’s the improved decision-making and easy chemistry he’s shown with a brand-new supporting cast at his new school that have really helped, aside from the winning and the athletic potential.

Big Ten adversary makes statement transfer at quarterback

Indiana is making a statement under new coach Curt Cignetti by bringing in former MAC MVP and QB Kurtis Rourke through the transfer portal.

The quarterback position has been a revolving door in Indiana over the past few years. The Hoosiers thought they finally found their guy back in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season in Michael Penix Jr. He led the Hoosiers to a 6-2 record with his electric play. Many thought Indiana was a program on the rise with their new quarterback.

Injuries stink, unfortunately. Penix Jr. started the 2021 season slowly before tearing his ACL. He would transfer to Washington, becoming the Heisman candidate passer we all know today. The Hoosiers were left scrambling for a quarterback. Even as they looked in the transfer portal, they never found their answer.

Former Mizzou passer Connor Bazelak lasted a single season in Bloomington before transferring to Bowling Green. Last year Brendan Sorsby wasn’t terrible finishing out the season, but the Hoosiers want more than just “not bad.”

With a new coach in former James Madison skipper Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers wanted to make a big splash in the transfer portal. Give your new coach a quarterback to play with.

They have found just that man in former Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke. The Canadian is making the leap up to the Big Ten following a successful career at Ohio. Rourke was named the MAC Most Valuable Player in 2022.

“I love the staff and the fact that they are winners,” Rourke told On3’s Pete Nakos. “The offense also is similar to NFL offenses. There are many other reasons but those were the main ones.”

That point certainly makes this an interesting destination for Rourke and explains why he decided to stay in school another year. While he is an interesting prospect, his stats did take a step back last year. He would not be heading into April with his best foot forward.

If he can put together a really good year under Cignetti, his draft stock can see a resurgence. For a Hoosiers program desperately needing a stable year at the position, it’s a pretty advantageous situation for all involved.

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8 under-the-radar 2024 NFL draft prospects to watch in CFB Week 3

8 under-the-radar 2024 NFL draft prospects to watch in CFB Week 3, including some FCS standouts facing off against BCS foes

The third weekend of college football is one of the last to feature primarily non-conference games. It’s a good chance to check out some 2024 NFL draft prospects who might not have the national exposure, or players from smaller schools who get an opportunity to show what they can do against major programs.

Here are eight 2024 NFL draft prospects who are under the radar to watch this weekend.

College football kicks off with 3 QB prospects to know in action

College football is back and leads off with Sam Hartman, Kurtis Rourke and Caleb Williams in action in Week 0

College football is back! Several games kick off over the weekend in what’s known as Week 0, a week that’s ahead of the more widespread start to the CFB season.

In three of the games, the scouts will get their first look at prominent quarterback prospects for the upcoming 2024 NFL draft. All three have something to prove in both the new season and the opening games on Saturday.

2024 NFL draft: Preseason QB watch list and early rankings