2024 IU Football Position Preview: Quarterback

Fall camp for IU Football is rapidly approaching and it will be a big one for Curt Cignetti in his first year with the program.

IU football has gone 9-27 over the past three seasons and finished dead last in the Big Ten a season ago. A key reason for the struggles during the past three years has been quarterback play.

Those issues directly led to the hiring of Cignetti who has extensive experience and success developing quarterbacks.

Consistent production from the position will be instrumental to what Cignetti is trying to do on offense and in turn, will help Indiana improve moving forward.

Ahead of fall camp, HoosierIllustrated.com will take a look at the position groups on both sides of the ball and break down the state of the position.

First position up are the quarterbacks.

Predicted Depth Chart

Kurtis Rourke R-Sr.+ 6-5 222

Tayven Jackson R-So. 6-4 211

Tyler Cherry Fr. 6-5 215

Alberto Mendoza Fr. 6-2 190

Roman Purcell R-Jr. 6-1 214

The ‘Guy’

While Cignetti is yet to name a starter for the 2024 season, there seems to be a clear ‘guy‘ above the rest.

Kurtis Rourke is the expected starter for obvious reasons. With only one year of eligibility left, he did not transfer from Ohio to sit on the bench for his last year of college football.

Rourke led Ohio to a record of 16-6 over the past two seasons while being named first-team All-MAC as a junior and second-team All-MAC as a senior.

While Cignetti has not named Rourke as the official starter yet, he has suggested that Rourke is the ‘guy‘.

“He just looks like [he is more comfortable],” Cignetti said about Rourke during spring camp. “The last two practices he’s been functioning, looking like a high-level quarterback.”

With prototypical size, a plethora of experience, and many talented receivers around him Rourke has all the tools to be successful at the Big Ten level.

Rourke has had the challenge of learning a new playbook this offseason along with building chemistry with his new teammates, but seems confident under Cignetti and QB coach Tino Sunseri.

“I think we’ve come a long way since the start of spring. Day one, everyone is trying to feel out the offense, feel out the playbook. Just trying to get used to everybody. Every practice we’ve built on that and built chemistry together and been able to get things going as an offense and a team,” Rourke said after the spring game. “So today [Spring Game] was a good showcase of what we can do and it’s the bottom right now and we are going to continue to keep growing all the way up to fall.”

Rourke’s past success combined with the coaching staff’s ability to develop quarterbacks has led to some real excitement and intrigue surrounding the offense that has not been with Indiana since Michael Penix Jr. left the program.

Expected Backup

Tayven Jackson is expected to be the backup quarterback behind Kurtis Rourke.

The former Tennessee transfer and brother of former Indiana basketball star Trayce Jackson-Davis has had a rocky start to his IU Football tenure.

After transferring before last season, it was expected he would start for Indiana, but he found himself in a quarterback competition that lasted half the season. Jackson wound up as the backup and did not see any action after the first six games of the season.

In the six games he played, Jackson threw for 914 yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions while completing 60.9% of his passes.

Jackson has had a slow start to spring camp and Cignetti said as much but a strong showing during the spring game likely solidified his spot as the backup quarterback.

He was 10-for-14 (71.4%) with 160 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

“I was trying to figure out if our two offense was that good or our two defense was that bad,” Cignetti said after the spring game. “I think I know the question to that — or the answer. I think the freshman corner got exposed a little bit in the boundary. But Tayven made some nice throws, and Andison made a play or two.”

Despite only starting five games, Jackson has the second most experience in the quarterback room which also helps his case. Unlike in years past, with a clear starter in the room, there is no expectation for the backup to see much playing time barring injuries.

Tyler Cherry was a huge addition for the future after decommitting from Duke

© Bobby Goddin/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Future ‘Guy’

While Kurtis Rourke might be the most important acquisition in the QB room for 2024, incoming freshman Tyler Cherry was the most exciting.

After decommitting from Duke, IU football made Cherry a priority which resulted in his commitment to the Hoosiers four days later.

The four-star Greenwood native led Center Grove to a 23-4 record in his two seasons as a starter including his junior year where he led them to a Class 6A state championship.

As a senior, Cherry completed 71 percent of his passes for 3,156 yards and 34 touchdown passes as a senior.

Cherry will likely start the season as the third-string quarterback for IU Football. With no pressure of playing as a freshman, Cherry will have a great opportunity to improve and learn under Cignetti and Sunseri.

Hudson Standish a 247Sports National Analyst’s evaluation of Tyler Cherry from last winter:

“A pro-style passer with an ideal frame hovering around 6-foot-5, 205 pounds. Possesses significant long-term developmental upside due to his physical tools, highlighted by some of the best arm strength in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Utilizes his strong arm talent most effectively on third-level throws off of play action where he has the time to deliver passes on a rope or with touch over the top. Made positive strides as a senior in his second year as a starter in the intermediate passing game, becoming much more consistent with his timing and ball placement. Also improved as a senior in trusting his footwork to avoid unnecessary off-platform throws, but does have the arm talent to make throws from an unstable base when truly required. Will need to move through his progressions quicker and become a more decisive passer in college. Does not consistently threaten the defense with his legs but is athletic enough to occasionally escape the pocket to pick up first downs on the ground or extend plays long enough to launch throws downfield. Likely will need some time before he’s ready to contribute at the Power Five level, but projects as a high-level game manager with serious NFL tools.”

SEE ALSO: ‘Something’s got to give and it wasn’t going to be me’: Curt Cignetti has won at every stop. He doesn’t expect that to change with Indiana football

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