Indiana football is entering week three of fall camp, and the Hoosiers' quarterback competition is still ongoing.
IU head coach Curt Cignetti has not and will not name an official starter entering the 2024 season, however, Ohio transfer Kurtis Rourke is the presumed favorite to win the starting role.
"(Rourke) had a tremendous spring and a great summer," Cignetti said a few weeks back at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis. "He's a great football player. I've been very impressed with what he's done... I sleep better at night knowing I've got a guy like that."
On Monday, following the Hoosiers' weekend intrasquad scrimmage, Cignetti once again sang the signal caller's praises.
"I thought Rourke had a good day," Cignetti said. "Really sort of separated himself pretty significantly in that scrimmage."
After spending the first five seasons of his college career playing at Ohio, Rourke boasts plenty of college football experience.
In the final three seasons the Oakville, Ontario native spent with the Bobcats, Rourke collected three consecutive 1,800 yard passing season. Meanwhile, no Hoosier quarterback has done that in a single season since 2019.
"(There's) always room for imporvement for anybody on this football team," Cignetti stated. "But (Rourke's) consistent and knows how to play quarterback."
"A lot goes into that position," Cignetti continued. "He's an extension of a coach and he's got to make good decisions, choices and decisions that are going to lead to giving you the best chance of success as a football team."
The 6-foot-5 quarterback passed for 2,207 yards and 11 passing touchdowns last season, while competing 63.5% of his passes.
All five of the interceptions that Rourke threw in 2023 came in two seperate contests against Florida Atlantic and Northern Illinois.
"Rourke stacks days," Cignetti said. "He had an off day or two last week, or maybe he wasn't real good in seven on seven. (He) came back and had a really good two-minute drill. Something like that. But for the most part, he's been playing good football."
It's Rourke's experience and consistency that has thrust Rourke into the pole position to be Indiana's starting quarterback in 2024.
"Sometimes it might not be making a spectacular play," Cignetti said. "It might be getting back to a normal down and distance situation. But, it also highly involves processing information, finding the open guy and getting them involved. So, nothing's really changed in terms of how I feel (about the quarterbacks) coming out of the spring."
Indiana is now less than three weeks away from opening up the 2024 season at home on Aug. 31 against Florida International.
Following Cignetti's comments on Monday, it appears the Hoosiers have a clear direction at the quarterback position entering the year.
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