Curt Cignetti Addresses Players Who Left Program Midseason, Kurtis Rourke’s Recovery on Radio Show

On Thursday’s Inside Indiana Football radio show, Curt Cignetti talked about how players leaving teams midseason to redshirt and transfer is becoming more common around the country, as well as quarterback Kurtis Rourke’s recovery from a thumb injury.

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti before the Florida International game at Memorial Stadium. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – College football roster changes mostly waited until the offseason in past years, but now it’s happening more frequently during the season.

The NCAA allows players to participate in four games and redshirt to retain that year of eligibility. Previously, that rule was utilized by coaches who wanted to give young players experience in a few games but not burn a full season of eligibility. It also benefited players whose seasons were cut short due to injuries. 

But now veteran players around the country are using the rule. If they don’t like their role on a team after playing in four games or fewer, they can leave the program, redshirt and maintain that year of eligibility. That happens more often now, because players are immediately eligible after transferring to a new school instead of being forced to sit out a year if they transferred.

Indiana is one of many schools where this has happened. After playing between one and four games for the Hoosiers, seniors like wide receiver E.J. Williams Jr., defensive back DJ Warnell, wide receiver Donaven McCulley, linebacker Nahji Logan, linebacker Joshua Rudolph and defensive back Tyrik McDaniel are no longer with the program.

The topic came up Thursday on the Inside Indiana Football Radio show, when the Hoosiers’ radio broadcaster, Don Fischer, asked coach Curt Cignetti about the scout team. Cignetti began by talking about their role in practice and how everyone’s role is earned.  Cignetti said getting everyone to accept their role is harder now because of the transfer portal. 

“We had probably four or five older guys decide after they had played four games that they wanted to redshirt, because they wanted to go in the portal because, you know, they’re ‘NFL prospects,’” Cignetti said, using air quotes with his fingers, which drew a laugh from Fischer. “But that’s not unique to just us, that’s going on across the country.” 

Here's the clip of Curt Cignetti's comments on the players who are no longer with the program.

"They wanted to redshirt because they wanted to go in the portal because, you know, they’re NFL prospects. But that’s not unique to just us, that’s going on across the country.” #iufb pic.twitter.com/b0jqMre8m0

— Jack Ankony (@ankony_jack) November 8, 2024

“But we got a great group of kids, they’re really strong character as a whole and single focus, everybody on the bullseye and what we’re trying to get done," Cignetti said. "But look, clean slate, man, 0-0 this week, okay, got a big challenge Saturday.”

These departures haven’t affected Indiana in the win-loss column, as the Hoosiers are off to the best start in program history at 9-0. They have a chance to become the first 10-win Indiana team ever, with Michigan coming to Bloomington for a 3:30 p.m. ET game on Saturday.

Quarterback Kurtis Rourke has played a key role in that unprecedented success, posting a 73.3% completion percentage with 2,204 yards, 19 touchdowns and three interceptions. Rourke suffered a thumb injury in the first half of Indiana’s 56-7 win over Nebraska, which caused him to miss the second half and the following week’s game against Washington.

Rourke underwent thumb surgery, a procedure that Cignetti noted went better than originally expected.

“When they were in there and did the procedure on the thumb, once they were in there, it looked better than the MRI showed it might be,” Cignetti said Thursday. “And so everybody was very optimistic coming out that after a week off, he could make it to the next game. He was better every day leading up to the Michigan State game in practice than the day before. And he’s had a sharp week of practice this week, too.”

Indiana's Kurtis Rourke throws against Michigan State at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rourke’s first game after the injury was the Hoosiers 47-10 win at Michigan State last week. Indiana faced its first deficit of the season, trailing 10-0 after the first quarter, but Rourke and the Hoosiers were unfazed by the slow start.

Indiana scored 21 points in the second quarter and eventually rattled off 47 unanswered points to win back the Old Brass Spittoon rivalry trophy. Rourke completed 19 of 29 passes for 263 yards, four touchdowns and no turnovers.

Rourke was named the Reese’s Senior Bowl player of the week after that game, a win which helped Indiana earn the No. 8 ranking this week in the first College Football Playoff rankings.

“He’s a low blood pressure guy, and if something bad happens, he’s already focused on the next one, which is what you’re looking for,” Cignetti said Thursday of Rourke. “He’s very poised, he’s played a lot of quarterback, has a good quarterback IQ, throws a very catchable ball, makes good decisions, throws a very catchable ball.” 

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