Snow in the Forecast for Friday, Eh?

Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

There has been much written about Googling Indiana’s Curt Cignetti, but what about their starting quarterback, Kurtis Rourke?

For those who first came across Rourke’s name, it might have been through his 247Sports Recruiting Profile. Not his transfer profile, but his first profile. Looking back to his high school days in 2019, the profile was sparse – no picture, just a football player silhouette. Like many of his teammates on Indiana, Rourke’s journey to college football’s highest stage wasn’t a smooth one.

“Football in Canada is definitely rising, but it's been hard to get exposure coming out of high school,” said Rourke. “So, I was very lucky that my brother was excelling at Ohio already, so I had a foot in the door already and just an opportunity to show what I can do.”

Nathan Rourke, Kurtis’ older brother by two years, started 24 games for the Ohio Bobcats over his career and owned a 17-7 record. His success opened the door for Kurtis, who has made the most of the opportunity.

“Just being able to be a Canadian player and knowing that I'm able to motivate and help the younger generation in showing that you can make it to different levels and that you can excel at different levels, I'm glad to be that part and hopefully I can be a good role model to a lot of aspiring Canadians, as well,” said Kurtis.

Kurtis had solid seasons following in his brother’s footsteps with Ohio in the MAC, a reason why he caught Curt Cignetti’s eye when he entered the transfer portal last year at about this time. But not even he could have imagined the success that would follow since taking the next step into the Big Ten.

“Going back to a year ago and deciding to see what was out there in the transfer portal and then deciding if I wanted to do that or go to the draft and kind of just bet on myself in that way, you know, looking back, I'm glad I made the decision to come here.”

That decision paid dividends when it was recently announced that Rourke finished in the Top-10 for the Heisman Trophy.

“Really blessed and honored and thankful just to be in the conversation and be in the Top-10 in the Heisman,” he said. “I never would have thought that I could be there, and so that's just -- it means a ton. It's a tribute to everything, the coaches and the players around me to help me get to that point, get to this point, and just ready to continue this journey on.”

The journey next rolls into South Bend, Indiana, where the Hoosiers will face off against in-state foe Notre Dame. Ironically enough for the Maple Missile, as he has been deemed at times, there is snow in the forecast. Just another day for the Canadian.

“I always try to keep the mindset of not letting the environment affect me and going out and execute and playing,” said Rourke, who mentioned having played against Buffalo in the MAC last season. “I thought Purdue was a really awesome environment, having the snow fall down in the stadium. That was pretty cool. Snow games are pretty fun itself. Looking forward to it if that's the case.”

He has the support of his coach in blizzard conditions, that’s for sure.

“I hope it snows a foot and a half,” said Cignetti. “We have a Canadian quarterback. Did you see him throw the ball against Purdue? This guy grew up in the frigid North. He looked pretty good to me that night. So, I don’t think it’s going to bother him very much.”

Kurtis Rourke's journey from an overlooked high school prospect in Canada to a Heisman finalist is a testament to perseverance and the power of seizing opportunities. As he leads Indiana into one of the biggest games of his career, it’s clear that the "Maple Missile" is not just representing his team, but an entire generation of Canadian athletes dreaming of making their mark on the global stage. With the snow in the forecast and the playoff spotlight shining bright, Rourke is ready to prove that his best days are still ahead.