Indiana's Starting QB Has Thumb Surgery With UW Up Next

Kurtis Rourke is out indefinitely with the Huskies coming to town.

Indiana's Kurtis Rourke (9) talks with a coach before the Maryland football game. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana, which has had more bad luck with quarterbacks just when things are going good, will move on without starter Kurtis Rourke for the time being after he underwent surgery on Monday to repair his right thumb, according to multiple reports.

The 6-foot-5, 231-pound Ohio transfer is listed as out indefinitely by the Big Ten school and won't play in Saturday's home game against Washington, and a timeline for his potential return following this weekend is unclear.

Against Nebraska, Rourke injured his thumb in the first half of a 56-7 victory when he hit a helmet on a passing attempt and didn't return following intermission. He later was shown on TV with his hand heavily wrapped and bloodied, with a torn finger nail apparently responsible for the latter.

"Obviously, it's unfortunate when anybody gets hurt," UW coach Jedd Fisch. "It didn't look good when I saw it. It didn't surprise me that he wasn't able to play in our game. The throwing thumb is a tough one."

Rourke, a sixth-year senior, has been one of the breakout players across college football by helping lead the 13th-ranked Hoosiers to a 7-0 start -- their best since 1967 -- and directing an offense that ranks No. 1 nationally in scoring offense at 48.7 points per game.

Considered a possible Heisman Trophy candidate, Rourke has completed 135 of 181 passes for 1,941 yards and 15 TDs, with 3 interceptions. Indiana currently sits No. 5 in the nation in total offense at 512.7 yards per game.

Against the Huskies, Rourke will be replaced by back-up Tayven Jackson, a 6-foot-4, 212-pound sophomore and 5-game Hoosiers starter in 2023. He seems capable enough after guiding his team to four second-half touchdowns against Nebraska. In that game, he completed 7 of 8 passes for 91 yards and 2 scores.

"If I was going off that small sample, I would say it doesn't look too much different," Fisch said of the QB switch from Rourke to Jackson.

In the past six years, the Hoosiers have lost Rourke while enjoying a program resurgence, similar to Michael Penix Jr., who made a lot happen at Indiana before going down with four consecutive season-ending injuries and later transferring to the UW, where he resurrected his football career. Rourke, however, is expected back this season.

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