BYU Football Offers Transfer Portal QB From Ohio University
Dec 7, 2023, 10:25 AM | Updated: Dec 8, 2023, 10:43 am
PROVO, Utah – The top targets for BYU football in the transfer portal are coming together. One of those prospects is former MAC Offensive Player of the Year Kurtis Rourke from Ohio University.
Rourke announced his offer from BYU on X.
BYU football offers Ohio QB Kurtis Rourke
Grateful to say I have received an offer from from BYU! pic.twitter.com/7B4CaT80ha
— Kurtis Rourke (@Kurtis_rourke7) December 6, 2023
The 6-foot-5, 231-pound signal-caller has started in 34 games for the Bobcats over the past four years. During the 2022 season, he was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year. Rourke threw for 3,257 yards, 25 touchdowns, and four interceptions.
In 2022, Rourke guided Ohio through a season that led the Bobcats to the MAC Championship Game. He could not play in that game due to an ACL injury he suffered in the regular season finale.
His numbers dipped in 2023 despite the same coaching staff returning. Rourke passed for 2,207 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions. During a week zero game against San Diego State, Rourke suffered an injury that kept him out of the following week’s game against Long Island. He didn’t miss any action the rest of the season.
Rourke has thrown 50 touchdown passes to only 16 interceptions in his career with the Bobcats. He’s completed 66.3% of his pass attempts.
Along with an offer from BYU, Rourke has reported offers from Vanderbilt and Wake Forest.
Canada native, one of the top CFL prospects
When Rourke officially entered the Transfer Portal on the first day of the portal window on December 5, he announced that he was exploring both the portal and the possibility of entering the NFL draft.
Officially in! pic.twitter.com/lcrFvIgERw
— Kurtis Rourke (@Kurtis_rourke7) December 5, 2023
If Rourke stays in college football, he has one year of eligibility remaining.
Rourke has an older sibling, Nathan Rourke, an NFL quarterback with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The older Rourke brother could be the No. 2 quarterback in Jacksonville, with Trevor Lawrence going down with an ankle injury.
Kurtis Rourke is a native of Ontario, Canada. Entering the 2023 season, he was tabbed as the No. 1 prospect for the CFL Draft by the CFL Scouting Bureau.
BYU football has a pressing need at quarterback for the 2024 season. The Cougars lose Kedon Slovis as his eligibility in college has been exhausted. BYU does return Jake Retzlaff, who started in four games, along with returning lettermen Cade Fennegan, Ryder Burton, Nick Billoups, and Cole Hagen.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X and Threads: @Mitch_Harper.
