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This was a pretty loaded transfer portal class of quarterbacks, including Will Howard to Ohio State, Dillon Gabriel to Oregon, Cam Ward to Miami, and Riley Leonard to Notre Dame.
Although he isn’t rated as high as some of these signal-callers, Kurtis Rourke is a huge upgrade for Indiana’s quarterback room.
Rourke spent the last three seasons as Ohio’s starting signal-caller. His best season came in 2022, when he finished with 3,257 yards with 25 touchdowns and four interceptions. He was named the 2022 MAC Offensive Player of the Year for his efforts. Over his last three seasons, he added 791 yards with 11 rushing touchdowns on the ground.
Despite leading the Bobcats to a MAC title game that season, he suffered a torn ACL that kept him out of the game. He suffered an unrelated injury in Ohio’s season-opener vs. San Diego State in 2023 and missed a couple of subsequent games. As a result, his numbers dipped a little, finishing with just 2,207 yards passing with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions.
“Their offense is very NFL-like and kind of sets you up for what an offense would look like at the next level,” Rourke said of his decision to transfer to Indiana. “One of the biggest questions I wanted answered while deciding my future … was what place would set me up best for my future and put me in the best spot for the next couple of years and I think Indiana does that.”
Indiana is hoping to find a winning formula under new head coach Curt Cignetti, who spent the last five seasons enjoying major success at James Madison.
Although Cignetti has said hat the starting quarterback job will have to be earned, getting an experienced, talented guy like Rourke under center is huge for the Hoosiers in Cignetti’s Year One.
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