Indiana football made real progress last season with Curt Cignetti in his first year as head coach. But while he was calling the shots from the sideline, it was quarterback Kurtis Rourke who set the tone on the field.
The former Hoosiers quarterback didn’t just lead with numbers. He led with grit.
At Big Ten Media Day, senior wideout Elijah Surratt opened up about Rourke’s impact. It wasn’t the usual praise about arm strength or leadership in the huddle.
What stood out most? His toughness.
As it turns out, Rourke played the entire 2024 season with a torn ACL. The initial injury—a partial tear in his right knee—happened before the season even started. He didn’t even find out the ligament was fully torn until after the season was over.
“We didn’t even know that,” Surratt said. “He wore a knee brace, so we figured something was going on. But none of us realized it was that serious.”
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Despite the injury, Rourke never made excuses. He practiced with purpose, brought the same energy every day, and never once asked for special treatment.
“He handled it like a pro,” Surratt said. “He came to work every single day and never complained. I’ve got a lot of respect for him because of that.”
Through it all, he played lights-out football.
He completed close to 70% of his throws, went for just over 3,000 yards, and had 29 touchdowns with only four interceptions. It wasn’t just about the numbers. He played a huge role in getting Indiana to 11 wins and into the College Football Playoff.
A year like that didn’t seem realistic not long ago.
But inside the locker room, it wasn’t just the numbers that stuck with people. What guys remember is how he handled everything. The injury, the daily grind—he kept showing up, kept putting in the work, and never made it about himself.
That kind of thing sticks with guys, especially on a team trying to turn the corner. Rourke’s not around anymore, but his name still comes up.
The standard he helped set? That’s something Indiana hopes to build on.
