Indiana Football Position Preview: Quarterback Room Led By Rourke

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti hasn’t publicly named a starting quarterback, but his comments lean strongly in the direction of the Ohio transfer.

Jack Ankony | Aug 28, 2024

Indiana quarterbacks Tayven Jackson (2) and Kurtis Rourke (9) throw during fall practice. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Indiana Hoosiers

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Curt Cignetti’s track record with quarterbacks is one of the reasons for optimism entering a new era of Indiana football.

The Hoosiers’ new head coach, along with offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and quarterbacks coach/co-offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri, have coached four different quarterbacks to conference player-of-the-year honors at James Madison since 2019.

That success would certainly be welcomed in Bloomington, where the quarterback position has been in flux recently. The Hoosiers haven’t had a starting quarterback make it through a full season since Peyton Ramsey in 2018.

The five-year stretch since then includes two bowl game appearances and some memorable moments from Ramsey and Michael Penix Jr., but Penix’s Indiana career was marred by four season-ending injuries. And after he transferred to Washington following the 2021 season, Indiana struggled to find a reliable quarterback.

The final three seasons of the Tom Allen era saw nine quarterbacks attempt at least one pass: Penix, Jack Tuttle, Donaven McCulley, Grant Gremel, Connor Bazelak, Dexter Williams II, Brendan Sorsby, Tayven Jackson and Broc Lowry. That inconsistency contributed to Indiana’s Big Ten-worst 9-27 record in that span.

In hopes of changing that narrative, Cignetti added Ohio transfer quarterback Kurtis Rourke to a room that includes returning Hoosiers Tayven Jackson and Roman Purcell and two true freshmen after losing Sorsby and Williams to the transfer portal.

Here’s a breakdown of the 2024 Indiana quarterback room.

Personnel

#2 Tayven Jackson: redshirt sophomore, 6-foot-4, 212 pounds, six games at Indiana, three games at Tennessee.
#9 Kurtis Rourke: redshirt senior+, 6-foot-5, 223 pounds, 36 games at Ohio.
#12 Roman Purcell: redshirt junior, 6-foot-1, 214 pounds, has not played at Indiana, previous stops at North Carolina A&T, Monroe College and Army.
#15 Tyler Cherry: freshman, 6-foot-5, 219 pounds.
#16 Alberto Mendoza: freshman, 6-foot-2, 203 pounds.

Notable departures from 2023 roster: Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati), Dexter Williams II (Georgia Southern), Broc Lowry (Western Michigan).

Indiana quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri pictured during fall camp. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Quarterback room revamped

Indiana’s 2024 roster features three new quarterbacks: Rourke and freshmen Tyler Cherry and Alberto Mendoza. While Cignetti has not publicly named a starter for Saturday’s season opener against Florida International, his comments during fall camp certainly lean in the direction of Rourke.

“I thought Rourke had a good day, really sort of separated himself pretty significantly in that scrimmage,” Cignetti said Aug. 12. “... For the most part, he’s been playing good football. There’s always room for improvement for anybody on this football team. He’s consistent, and he knows how to play quarterback.”

Rourke transferred to Indiana with one year of eligibility after appearing in 36 games across five seasons at Ohio University. The Bobcats went 16-6 with Rourke under center during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke (9) throws a pass during the spring game at Memorial Stadium. / Bobby Goddin/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

In 2022, Rourke was named MAC Offensive Player of the Year after completing 224-of-353 passes (69.1%) for 3,256 yards, 25 touchdowns and four interceptions. If he were to replicate those numbers at Indiana in 2024, he’d rank fourth on the program’s single-season passing yardage leaderboard, third in single-season passing touchdowns and first in single-season completion percentage.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave Rourke a 92.0 grade for offense in 2022, which tied for first nationally with Houston quarterback Clayton Tune among qualified quarterbacks, ahead of future No. 1 overall NFL Draft picks Caleb Williams and Bryce Young.

Rourke’s numbers decreased a bit in 2023, completing 195-of-307 pass attempts (63.5%) for 2,207 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions, but he still earned second-team All-MAC honors. He ranked 41st nationally in PFF’s offensive grade (78.9) among qualified quarterbacks. Rourke is more of a pocket-passer, but he’s capable of making plays with his legs if necessary. He rushed for 832 yards and 11 touchdowns on 232 attempts in his Ohio career.

Cherry and Mendoza likely won’t see the field as true freshmen, barring injury, but there’s some reason for future optimism. Cherry is the second-highest ranked quarterback recruit in program history behind Donaven McCulley, who transitioned to wide receiver, and fifth-highest among all Indiana recruits. Out of Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Ind., Cherry was a four-star recruit ranked No. 18 among quarterbacks in the class of 2024 by 247Sports.

Mendoza joins the Hoosiers out of Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, where he was considered a three-star recruit and the No. 138 quarterback in the class of 2024 by 247Sports.

Returning Hoosiers

Tayven Jackson enters his second season at Indiana after beginning his career with one year at Tennessee. He was a highly touted prospect out of Center Grove High School, considered a four-star recruit and the No. 12 quarterback in the nation by 247Sports.

He appeared in six games with five starts for the Hoosiers in 2023, completing 78-of-128 passes (60.9%) for 914 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions. Jackson had opportunities to win the starting job, but Indiana ultimately went with Sorsby for the final six games.

Indiana quarterback Tayven Jackson (2) passes during the first day of fall practice. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jackson has shown flashes under the new staff, but Cignetti is looking for more consistency and improved technique.

“Tayven is capable of making the wow play, but there has to be more play-in, play-out consistency, eye discipline, focus, eyes down field, making the right reads, securing the football, not turning the ball over, proper footwork in the run game so we don’t have fumbles, things of that nature,” Cignetti said during fall camp.

Jackson was the second quarterback on the field for the spring game, and he figures to be the backup behind Rourke in Week 1. The only other returning quarterback is Roman Purcell, who did not appear in any games last season.

The bottom line

Rourke has a good chance to finish in the top five of Indiana’s single-season passing records. A 3,000-yard passing season would do so, and he’s accomplished that in the past. It’ll take 3,574 yards to pass Nate Sudfeld’s record. Arguably Indiana’s best position group is its wide receivers, so Rourke will have plenty of talented options to help him achieve that. Teammates and coaches have also noted Rourke’s leadership, which is always important at that position.

The potential concerns with Rourke revolve around whether his strong play in the MAC translates against tougher competition in the Big Ten and if he can stay healthy. Indiana’s offensive line has struggled in recent seasons, and it already lost expected starting right guard Nick Kidwell to a season-ending injury. Rourke tore his ACL during Ohio’s 11th game of the 2022 season, and he suffered an injury in the 2023 season opener that held him out of the team’s second game. If Indiana can keep him upright, a big season could be in store.

Personnel

Quarterback room revamped

Returning Hoosiers

The bottom line

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