Canadian quarterback Kurtis Rourke was held out of the second half during Indiana’s win over Nebraska.
Fox showed Rourke’s hand bleeding with Jenny Taft reporting it seemed as though the trainers were taping his nail down to his thumb. The six-foot-five, 223-pound QB completed 17-of-21 passes for 189 yards with one touchdown and an interception on a hail mary attempt in two quarters.
Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti told Taft that Rourke was fine entering the final 30 minutes, but Tayven Jackson entered the game at QB and finished out for Indiana. Rourke was on the sideline in street clothes for the third and fourth quarters.
“It was a little thumb thing, I feel good about it, I really do. Precautionary,” Cignetti told Hoosiers TV post-game.
Rourke made some impressive throws in the opening 30 minutes to help his Hoosiers lead 28-7 at halftime and eventually win 56-7. He made an impression on veteran play-by-play man Gus Johnson, who has called Canadian Football League games, including two Grey Cups, in his broadcasting career.
“Kurtis Rourke, you gotta put him up there and he has to be in contention for the Heisman Trophy with the way he’s playing,” Johnson said to colour analyst Joel Klatt who agreed.
“You would have to have Kurtis Rourke in that conversation — he’s been fantastic.”
Johnson was in Bloomington, Ind. to call the Hoosiers’ home game against the Cornhuskers. It was the Big Noon Saturday Game of the Week with the whole cast and set at the Memorial Stadium. The energetic commentator knew about Nathan Rourke’s NCAA and pro career.
“Kurtis Rourke, from Toronto, Canada. His brother was a terrific player, quarterback at Ohio, now with the B.C. Lions in the CFL.”
The younger Rourke has been putting up numbers for Indiana in his senior season, including a 15-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He’ll miss the Hoosiers’ home game against the Washington Huskies on Saturday, October 26. Indiana stated on Sunday he’s out indefinitely with a thumb injury but is expected to play for the Hoosiers again in 2024.
