Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke plays against Ohio State during an NCAA college football game on November  23, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Jay LaPrete

The last six years have landed Canadian Kurtis Rourke firmly in the U.S. college football limelight.

The 24-year-old Oakville, Ont., native will lead the upstart Indiana Hoosiers (11-1) into South Bend, Ind., to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-1) on Dec. 20 to open American university football's expanded playoff bracket.

Rourke transferred to Indiana last December to boost his NFL draft stock after five years at Ohio University, where he began as a backup to his older brother, Nathan, then captured the 2022 MAC offensive player of the year award despite suffering a season-ending knee injury before heading to Indiana after the 2023 season. A win over Notre Dame would extend Indiana's stellar campaign while a loss would mark the end of Rourke's collegiate career.

"Having six years is something not many people can say," Rourke told Canadian reporters Wednesday. "(It has been) very much a roller-coaster but I'm just grateful.

"I've had four surgeries in college and only missed a handful of games. That's the biggest thing I come back to, that I've been so lucky to still play and have an opportunity to play (maybe) four more games and hopefully at a professional level."

The six-foot-five, 223-pound Rourke will be eligible for the '25 NFL draft.

Rourke has played a big role in Indiana — traditionally known as a basketball school — emerging as a Big Ten contender in head coach Curt Cignetti's first season. Rourke completed 202-of-287 passes (70.4 per cent) for 2,827 yards with 27 TDs and just four interceptions in 11 games and last week was named a finalist for the Manning Award, given annually to American college football's top quarterback.

The only blemish on Indiana's record was a 38-15 loss to Ohio State before 105,751 spectators in Columbus, Ohio, on Nov. 23. Rourke was eight-of-18 passing for 68 yards in that contest and sacked five times.

It's that experience Rourke and the Hoosiers are drawing upon as they prepare to visit Notre Dame Stadium, which has a seating capacity of roughly 77,000 but held 84,000 spectators for a 2018 Garth Brooks concert.

"I don't know if it will be as crazy or as hostile an environment as Ohio State … but I do expect it to be a pretty good environment," Rourke said. "We have some plans in place with the silent count if we need at any point to go to … but ultimately just learning from the experience of Ohio State to handle it individually as well as an offence."

Former CFL player Tino Sunseri is Indiana's quarterback coach/co-offensive co-ordinator. Sunseri spent three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2013-15), winning a Grey Cup as a rookie.

Reaching the expanded playoff format in Cignetti's first season is a huge accomplishment for Indiana. But the school reportedly added 31 players via the transfer portal before the 2024 campaign.

When asked how he appealed to incoming players, Cignetti said, "It's pretty simple, I win. Google me."

Cignetti came to Indiana after posting a 52-9 record over five seasons at James Madison. Rourke said Hoosiers' players draw inspiration from their brash head coach.

"Seeing your head coach on a national stage say what he said, 'Google me,' … that just shows how confident he is in himself and the coaches," Rourke said. "And that just makes us feel like, 'Yeah, we're coming along with you coach.'

"As the season went on we were like, 'Yeah, we can do this.'"

Rourke suffered a right thumb injury that required surgery in Indiana's 56-7 win over Nebraska on Oct. 19. Fortunately, he missed only one start (31-17 victory over Washington) and returned to throw four TD passes in 47-10 decision over Michigan State on Nov. 2.

"My thumb feels 100 per cent now," Rourke said. "It was hard missing that Washington game … but I knew the team would have my back."

It's no surprise Rourke has leaned upon his brother throughout his college tenure. The two are very close and Rourke said he began playing quarterback after watching Nathan do so growing up.

Nathan Rourke rejoined the Lions in August after spending time in the NFL with Jacksonville, New England, Atlanta and the New York Giants.

"We've been able to talk about ball but (also) life," the junior Rourke said. "Just having someone who's done it, who's been through the college experience, been through the NFL experiences and now the CFL to learn from and also bounce questions off him, it's been quite beneficial to have him in my corner."

Rourke has hired an agent — Octagon's Casey Muir — and will work out this off-season in Fort Myers, Fla. As of Wednesday, Rourke said he's not been invited to the NFL combine, which begins Feb. 27 in Indianapolis.

"I'd love to get an invite to the combine," he said. "That was one of my goals, honestly, when I got to college, which seems forever ago.

"That would be awesome."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2024.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2024