INDIANAPOLIS — Leading a record-setting offense on a record-setting Indiana football team, quarterback Kurtis Rourke helped take the Hoosiers to unthinkable heights in 2024.
And he did it while battling a serious knee injury.
Rourke, who spoke with reporters Friday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, said he partially tore his ACL during a fall camp practice in July 2024. At an unknown point between then and the end of the season, he fully tore it.
Still, Rourke played — through nagging discomfort and instability issues in his knee and, later, a broken thumb.
“I was healthy enough to play, and all that’s mattered to me,” Rourke said. “I wanted to make sure I gave it everything I had this year, especially being my last year. And if I was feeling great, I was going to play, no matter what was going on.”
Despite missing the second half of Indiana’s 56-7 win over Nebraska on Oct. 19 and not playing in the Hoosiers’ 31-17 triumph over Washington on Oct. 26, Rourke threw for a single-season program-record 29 touchdowns and ranked fourth in Indiana football history with 3,042 passing yards in 2024.
The 24-year-old thanked the Hoosiers’ training staff for helping him overcome his injuries, and he said he was happy to make it through the season.
Rourke’s initial injury, which wasn’t revealed until after the season, occurred while escaping the pocket during a play in fall camp.
“They said it was going to be all right, and I was able to walk it off and finish practice,” Rourke said. “So, I was like, ‘There's no way anything could be much worse.’”
But things worsened. Rourke’s broken thumb forced him to wear a brace on his throwing hand, yet he missed only six quarters. He returned to action Nov. 2 against Michigan State, leading the Hoosiers to 47 unanswered points while going 19-for-29 passing for 263 yards and four touchdowns.
Rourke, who also tore his ACL in 2022 while playing for Ohio University, said injuries show him how much he loves football and doesn’t want to miss it. It’s why he kept playing despite suffering prohibitive injuries.
“I didn't want to miss any time,” Rourke said about his partially torn ACL in fall camp. “I just wanted to be out there. And so, any opportunity I was given to get in to play, I wanted to, and that's kind of going back to when I hurt my thumb — I wanted to be out for as little amount of time as possible. So as soon as I could grip a ball, I was ready to go.”
Rourke said his mobility was affected “a little bit here and there” by his knee injury. He sparingly but effectively used his legs in Bloomington, rushing for two touchdowns while often evading pass rushers in the pocket.
Known more as a traditional pocket passer than dual threat quarterback, the 6-foot-5, 223-pound Rourke was efficient working within structure. Still, he didn’t play with a clear head.
“Changed my mindset,” Rourke said. “I feel very confident throwing the ball, and that's what I like to do anyways, so (it) didn't really change too much of what I usually want to do. But I definitely had (it) in my mind. If I can make more time in the pocket to deliver a throw, I'd rather do that than just run around. But I knew it's part of the game, part of the position and something that I need to utilize. And so, if I had to run, I would run.”
Rourke will not participate in drills at the scouting combine, which is the premier athletic testing event before the NFL draft. He will, however, meet with NFL teams and undergo medical examinations.
During his interviews with pro scouts, coaches and executives, Rourke said he can use his story — performing at a high level despite injuries — to his advantage.
“I look back and look at how great the team did and how well I was able to perform with a torn ACL,” Rourke said, “and so I just look at it and want to tell teams that if I did that on a torn ACL and a broken thumb, imagine what I could do when I'm fully healthy.”
Rourke is taking his recovery on a day-by-day basis, and he doesn’t anticipate being healthy for rookie minicamp in May or NFL organized teams activities in June. But once training camp and the preseason starts in late July, Rourke anticipates being a full participant.
“Talking to my doctors, my different surgeons — training camp is definitely a realistic possibility now,” Rourke said. “Thankfully, progressing pretty well and training camp my goal, and I think I'll be able to hit that for sure.”
And so, one year removed from the start of a painful but successful final season in college, Rourke will return to the gridiron — but this time, wearing an NFL jersey.
Daniel Flick covers Indiana men's basketball and football for the Indiana Daily Student. You can follow him at @ByDanielFlick on X and contact him via email at danflick@iu.edu.
