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Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke (9) throws during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Best Indiana Football Players Of The 2020s So Far: No. 1 Kurtis Rourke

Originally posted on Indiana Hoosiers on SI
By Todd Golden | Last updated Jun 15, 2025 1:16 PM ET

Hoosiers On SI has reached the summit of its top 16 players of the 2020s so far. Kurtis Rourke, quarterback of the 2024 Hoosiers, gets the nod in a close decision over linebacker Micah McFadden and fellow quarterback Micheal Penix Jr.

Some might ask how a one-year Hoosier could be considered the best Hoosier of the decade so far when others on the list played multiple seasons for the Hoosiers. That includes both McFadden and Penix, who played for Indiana in both 2020 and 2021.

The rationale: Indiana had its winningest season in school history with its 11-2 record and College Football Playoff appearance. It is the greatest season in Indiana history by almost any measure.

The most important position on the field is the quarterback. The fortunes of any team ebb and flow through the ups and downs of a quarterback. The best teams have the most consistent quarterbacks. It’s extremely rare for that to not be the case.

It would be one thing if Rourke had an OK season and was lifted by the rest of the elements of the team that made it greater than the sum of its parts.

But that wasn’t the case for Rourke and the Hoosiers. He had a fantastic 2024 season, and we learned later he did it all with a torn ACL in his right knee.

Rourke earned the top spot on this lis,t and no one will lose any sleep that he’s on top of the 2020s mountain.

Rourke arrived at Indiana in December 2023 when then-new coach Curt Cignetti brought in a boatload of transfers after many holdover Hoosiers bolted for other teams in the wake of Tom Allen’s dismissal.

Unlike some of the other core additions, Rourke did not come from James Madison. He was an established standout at Ohio University in the Mid-American Conference. He was immensely experienced, having played five seasons with the Bobcats.

He was the MAC Player of the Year in 2022 before a late-season knee injury stopped his season short. Still, Rourke threw for 3,257 yards, 25 touchdowns and had just four interceptions. In 2023, his contributions were more muted (2,207 yards, 11 TDs), but he was still efficient.

Rourke brought that efficiency with him to the Hoosiers. From spring practices to August camp, Rourke had his timing and accuracy down pat. Indiana’s offense ran its share of RPO plays, and Rourke proved to be a master of that craft.

He started modestly as Indiana made mincemeat of nonconference foes Florida International and Western Illinois early on, but he flashed his excellence in the Rose Bowl against UCLA in the first Big Ten game of the season. Rourke threw for 307 yards and four touchdowns as Indiana earned a head-turning 42-13 victory out west.

Rourke would complete at least 60% of his passes in Indiana’s next six games. He threw just four interceptions as Indiana surged to a 10-0 record.

Rourke proved to be tough too. He broke this thumb when his hand hit a defender’s helmet against Nebraska on Oct. 19. Rourke missed only one game and came back without much dropoff.

Rourke developed a great chemistry with receivers Elijah Sarratt, Ke’Shawn Williams, Myles Price and former Ohio teammate Miles Cross. His back shoulder throws to Sarratt on the sideline were particularly accurate.

Rourke hit his peak with six touchdown passes and 349 passing yards in a 66-0 blitz of rival Purdue in the final game of the regular season. Rourke proved to be the most efficient quarterback in the Big Ten.

If there was a knock against Rourke, it was his performances in big games. He struggled in Indiana’s lone regular season loss at Ohio State, throwing for just 68 yards as he took a beating from Ohio State’s pass rush. His numbers were better in the CFP loss to Notre Dame, but Rourke was not a big factor in that game.

Nonetheless, he was a huge factor in Indiana’s greatest season. He parlayed his excellence into a chance in the NFL as he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers.