Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti expressed confidence on Monday regarding the potential return of starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke for Saturday’s matchup against Michigan State.
Rourke underwent surgery on his injured right thumb last week and was absent from the Hoosiers’ recent 31-17 triumph over Washington.
Currently, the 13th-ranked Hoosiers, with an impressive record of 8-0 and 5-0 in the Big Ten, share the top position in the conference with the top-ranked Oregon team. Meanwhile, No. 3 Penn State is among the eight undefeated teams but has a game in hand compared to the other leaders.
Rourke, a Canadian quarterback in his sixth year of college football, made the move from Ohio University to Indiana this season after dealing with numerous injuries during his time with the Bobcats. He had suffered a knee injury that ended his 2022 season but still earned the title of Mid-American Conference MVP. The thumb injury he sustained, which forced him to exit at halftime during a 56-7 win against Nebraska, appears not to be keeping him out for long.
Cignetti noted, “I remain optimistic about Kurtis Rourke; he has been throwing in recent days and building up his strength. His workload will be ramped up as the week progresses. That’s all I’ll specify for now.”
Should Rourke be unable to take the field, third-year quarterback Tayven Jackson would step in for his second consecutive starting assignment. Jackson completed 11 of 19 passes for 124 yards, one touchdown, and an interception, while also rushing for a score, helping Indiana equal the best start in program history set by the 1967 Rose Bowl team.
Indiana is on the brink of achieving a 9-0 record for the first time if they can overcome the Spartans, who hold a record of 4-4 and 2-3 in the conference, while also claiming the Old Bass Spittoon trophy.
Cignetti is confident in the team’s performance, regardless of which quarterback takes the helm. “There were moments of both success and setbacks,” Cignetti commented regarding Jackson’s previous performance. “He needs to learn from the positives and work on correcting the negatives. He’ll have a productive film review session with Coach Tino Sunseri this evening. Like everyone else, we strive for improvement, as mediocrity is not an option.”