Kurtis Rourke Indiana Indiana players enter the field before a game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. Notre Dame defeated Indiana 27-17.

The Indiana Hoosiers broke through and earned the best season in program history in 2024. It turns out that feat was even more impressive than you might think.

Quarterback Kurtis Rourke quickly grew into a sensation in Bloomington. The 24-year-old former Ohio Bobcats quarterback flashed brilliance all year in the vaunted Big Ten. The 2022 MAC Player of the Year transitioned quite well to major college football.

According to his agent, that transition came under uncertain circumstances. Rourke’s agent revealed that the quarterback played this past season with an ACL injury.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the details that Rourke tore his ACL in August, but played throughout the season with that injury.

The Indianapolis Star confirmed the news later on and said that the quarterback never complained to IU’s medical staff.

People were interested in these podcasts
Play Episode
68min
The Play-By-Play
Paul-Tyson Netflix fight issues, 'Inside the NBA' to ESPN
Netflix's tech issues made it difficult to watch the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight. "Inside the NBA" finds a new home. More people are heading to Bluesky. Awful Announcing's Ben Axelrod and Brendon Kleen discuss these topics and more on the latest episode of The Play-By-Play.Time Stamps:-1:23: Netflix’s tech issues during Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight-18:22: NFL Christmas games being “make or break” for Netflix-22:10: “Inside the NBA” heads to ESPN-35:43: Winners and losers to the ESPN/“Inside the NBA” deal-51:21: People heading to Bluesky-1:00:47: Barstool hiring Jon Gruden-1:04:39: Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame announcementYou can subscribe to The Play-By-Play wherever podcasts are found. Please subscribe, rate and review!Download The Play-By-Play:Listen on AppleListen on SpotifyAwful Announcing on XAwful Announcing on FacebookAwful Announcing on InstagramAwful Announcing on ThreadsAwful Announcing on BlueSkyAwful Announcing on LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Play-By-Play
Cris Collinsworth's extension, Aaron Hernandez show, Caitlin Clark's rookie year
What does Cris Collinsworth's new contract mean for the future of NFL broadcasting? Why is there a scripted TV show about Aaron Hernandez? And what are our sports media takeaways from Caitlin Clark's rookie season? Awful Announcing's Brendon Kleen and Ben Axelrod discuss these topics and more as Lyndsey D'Arcangelo stops by on the latest episode of The Play-By-Play.Time Stamps:-1:09: Cris Collinsworth re-signing with NBC-10:14: Domino effect of Collinsworth’s renewal-18:15: Domonique Foxworth on "American Sports Story"-33:09: Welcome Lyndsey D’Arcangelo to The Play-By-Play-56:38: “Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz” 20th anniversary oral historyYou can subscribe to The Play-By-Play wherever podcasts are found. Please subscribe, rate and review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Play-By-Play
Luka to the Lakers, Nick Wright's Chiefs defense, Colin Cowherd stays at FS1
Two weeks of Super Bowl coverage is going to bring repeated talking points. Sports betting companies are cutting funding for sponsored content. Awful Announcing's Ben Axelrod and Brendon Kleen discuss these topics and more, including Deion Sanders and the Dallas Cowboys on the latest episode of The Play-By-Play.Time Stamps:-:27: Podcast speed-3:19: Luka Dončić trade to Lakers-24:55: Nick Wright vs. Adam Schefter-31:23: Colin Cowherd extending with FS1-42:48: Cam Newton-56:16: Streamers-1:03:47: Super Bowl viewership will break recordsYou can subscribe to The Play-By-Play wherever podcasts are found. Please subscribe, rate and review!Download The Play-By-Play:Listen on AppleListen on SpotifyAwful Announcing on XAwful Announcing on FacebookAwful Announcing on InstagramAwful Announcing on ThreadsAwful Announcing on BlueSkyAwful Announcing on LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Play-By-Play
Drew Brees on ESPN, Dave Portnoy feuds with Zach Bryan, Chris Vannini joins us
Drew Brees makes a surprise appearance on "Monday Night Countdown." Dave Portnoy drops multiple diss tracks on Country music star Zach Bryan. Awful Announcing's Ben Axelrod and Brendon Kleen discuss these topics and more, as The Athletic's Chris Vannini joins us on the latest episode of The Play-By-Play.Time Stamps:-:54: Drew Brees shows up on “Monday Night Countdown”-20:31: Chris Vannini comes on The Play-By-Play-58:46: Dave Portnoy vs. Zach Bryan-1:04:26: Sports podcast monologuesYou can subscribe to The Play-By-Play wherever podcasts are found. Please subscribe, rate and review!Download The Play-By-Play:Listen on AppleListen on SpotifyAwful Announcing on XAwful Announcing on FacebookAwful Announcing on InstagramAwful Announcing on ThreadsAwful Announcing on BlueSkyAwful Announcing on LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Per IndyStar’s source, Rourke partially tore the ACL during the summer. Pelissero reported the full tear was believed to have occurred in August. Rourke did not alert Indiana’s medical team to any further discomfort or aggravation after the initial injury, and thus no new examination or imaging was conducted across the course of the season itself,” Zach Osterman of the Indy Star wrote.

That’s an awful lot to digest after an incredible season. But it perhaps makes it look more impressive in some ways.

Football, and sports, bring out a lot from people that would otherwise not appear. Playing four months on a torn ACL is, certainly, one of those things. Indiana fans and otherwise appreciated his toughness.

[Tom Pelissero; Indy Star]

About Chris Novak

Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022