Indiana football sixth-year senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke suffered a hand injury in the second quarter of Saturday’s game against Nebraska in Memorial Stadium and has been replaced by redshirt sophomore Tayven Jackson.
Rourke sustained his injury on the Hoosiers’ penultimate drive of the first half and remained in the game through the break. He connected on 17-of-21 attempts for 189 yards, one touchdown and an interception on a Hail Mary while Indiana carried a 28-7 lead into the locker room.
Rourke did not participate in warmups before the second half started. Jackson joined freshmen Tyler Cherry and Alberto Mendoza in throwing passes in front of the Hoosiers’ sideline.
Sporting a black Indiana jumpsuit, Rourke returned to Indiana’s sideline late in the third quarter, with the Jackson-led Hoosiers holding a 42-7 edge.
Jackson, who attended Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Indiana, started four games for the Hoosiers last year. He’s spent this season No. 2 on the depth chart behind Rourke.
The 6-foot-4, 212-pound Jackson appeared in two of the Hoosiers’ first six games. He completed 3-of-3 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown against Western Illinois University on Sept. 6 but went just 2-of-7 for 30 yards versus the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on Sept. 21.
Jackson’s first drive Saturday ended with a two-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Miles Cross, extending the Hoosiers’ advantage to 35-7 with 6:27 to play in the third quarter. Indiana scored on each of its two drives thereafter, with Jackson going 4-of-4 for 68 yards and a pair of scores.
This story will be updated.
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