Rourke Leads Offense to a Historic Day in 52-14 Win

Written by Ben Gillard

The Indiana offense had a historic outing Saturday vs. Charlotte. The Hoosiers put up 52 points on the 49ers, continuing to dominate offensively. IU has now outscored their opponents 202-37 while averaging 50 points per game, becoming the first FBS program to reach 200 total points this season. 202 is the most points scored in a 4-game stretch by any IU team ever. 

A large portion of the points today were due to the stellar play of veteran quarterback Kurtis Rourke. The 6th-year senior went 16-20 (80%), passing for 258 yards and a touchdown to Ke’Shawn Williams, ending the day with a 204.9 QBR. Indiana DB Shawn Ashbury explained just what makes Rourke so hard to defend against, saying, “Kurt, he’s a great quarterback. He’ll look you off one way and then throw it the other way, and you're like, how do you have that much time to get a read on us, especially with our D-Line?” 

While Rourke was great in the air, he was arguably even better on the ground. The “Maple Missile,” who is typically known for his abilities as a pocket-passer, turned into the “Maple Mover” this afternoon. He showed off some versatility and athleticism, rushing 4 times for 32 yards and a touchdown. None perhaps more impressive than his 12-yard scramble, which resulted in a touchdown. When asked about his running ability after the game, Rourke said, “It’s not something I do often, but I felt like I needed to run and escape a few times. Certainly need to work on some aspects, but glad I can do it when I need to.” Rourke continued by emphasizing the fact that his legs can help clear the way for the running backs, saying, “If I can at least pull one guy or have him hold for a second…it helps the run game just a little bit more.”      

It wasn’t just Rourke who showed out for the Hoosiers on Saturday; in fact, it was a remarkably balanced performance for the entire offense. Rourke had 5 completions of 20 or more yards to 4 different receivers. Myles Price, Elijah Sarratt, Andison Coby, and Sam West all had receptions of 20+ yards today. Freshman Tight End Sam West’s 37-yard grab was the first catch of his career. If it’s any indication of his athleticism, then West has a bright future ahead of him with the Hoosiers.

After the game, wide receiver Myles Price commented on the depth and veteran presence of the Indiana receiving room, saying, “Especially in our room we’ve got a lot of older guys, so you can come in and install something two days, a day before the game, and we’ll have it on point by the time the game comes.” QB Kurtis Rourke echoed this sentiment, saying, “It’s awesome; just having that abundance of talent around me, it helps in every aspect. Just knowing that you can hand the ball or throw the ball to athletes on the outside, and just know that we’ll have a good chance of getting yardage and getting touchdowns.”   

On the ground, the Hoosiers were extremely efficient and balanced. IU rushed for 222 yards as the running back group split carries fairly evenly. Justice Ellison had 58 yards and a touchdown on 9 carries. Kaelon Black and Ty Son Lawton each had 7 carries and rushed for 55 yards and a TD and 35 yards and 2 TDs, respectively. Rising star RB Elijah Green continues his streak of a touchdown in every game this season, ending the day with 4 carries for 29 yards and a TD.

After the game, running back Kaelon Black spoke on splitting carries with the other running backs, saying, “It’s actually a blessing; being at JMU, it’s been pretty much the same thing since I was a freshman…Like I said, it’s just a blessing to be able to play with these guys…and we’re just going to keep this thing rolling.”

The Hoosiers offense has definitely been rolling over the past 4 games. With Coach Cignetti’s balanced approach to both the run and pass game and the immense amount of talent at the skill positions, Big 10 defenses will have their hands full trying to prepare for all of IU’s weapons.