NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke (9) celebrates throwing a touchdown pass during the second quarter of a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium.
Second of two parts | Part 1: Curt Cignetti handed Kurtis Rourke keys to Indiana’s offense. They made college football history.
BLOOMINGTON — FBS coaches are apprehensive about recruiting Canadian players for many reasons. The bigger field, extra players, unique rules that include the waggle — backfield players are allowed unlimited motion before the snap — combined with concerns over the level of competition create a stigma surrounding Canadian prep players that’s hard to overcome for anyone who doesn’t have freakish size or athleticism. It’s a problem Indiana football quarterback Kurtis Rourke knows all too well. He got very little attention on the recruiting trail as the No. 1 overall Canadian prospect in the 2019 signing class, and the interest he did get was mostly thanks to his older brother Nathan, who was in the midst of a record-setting career at Ohio. “I would say if Kurtis’ last name was Smith we probably wouldn’t have recruited him, but fortunately it was Rourke,” Ohio offensive coordinator Scott Isphording said. The same Rourke that currently has the fifth highest odds to win the Heisman Trophy and is a central figure in IU’s historic 10-0 start is just the third Canadian quarterback to start a game for a power conference team since 2000, per SportsNet. “I think anyone from Canada is a bit of a long shot,” Nathan Rourke said. “I think the Canadian rules and the competition just scares people, or at least casts some doubt especially for quarterbacks. I think it’s enough to deter coaches from making the journey across the border.”The Rourkes didn’t let that stand in their way. Nathan blazed a path into…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/long-shot-indiana-football-qb-090532169.html
Author : The Herald-Times
Publish date : 2024-11-20 09:05:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
