Recognizing the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award has added senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke to its preseason watch list.
The Golden Arm Award, presented annually to the top upperclassmen quarterback by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, encapsulates all that is positive in college sports. The award acknowledges performance on the field for sure, but it goes beyond completion percentage and touchdown strikes. The award values character, citizenship, integrity and those who honor the game.
This season’s list acknowledges 63 of the nation’s leading quarterbacks, representing all 10 FBS conferences as well as football independent. The preseason watch list, semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the distinguished Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, and former players.
In his career, Rourke has appeared in 36 career games with 33 starts. Those appearances came over five seasons at Ohio University (2019-23) where he was tabbed Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-MAC as a junior in 2022. His senior season netted second-team All-MAC honors as he has over 5,400 yards in the last two seasons.
Rourke has amassed 8,479 career all-purpose yards and accounted for 61 touchdowns (50 passing, 11 rushing). He has completed 638-of-963 passes for 7,651 yards passing and 50 touchdown passes and rushed for 1,240 career yards on 232 carries with 11 touchdowns.
He also excelled in the classroom as an Academic All-American in 2022 and enters the season with his undergraduate degree in hand from Ohio U.
Rourke is the latest addition to a grow list of preseason recognition for IU football players:
2024 Indiana Football Preseason Accolades
James Bomba – AFCA Good Works Team Nominee, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
James Evans – Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List
Aiden Fisher – Butkus Award Preseason Watch List
Zach Horton – John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List
Cooper Jones – William V. Campbell Trophy Nominee
D’Angelo Ponds – Lott Trophy Preseason Watch List
Kurtis Rourke – Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Preseason Watch List
Elijah Sarratt – Bilitikoff Award Preseason Watch List
Solomon Vanhorse – College Football Comeback Player of the Year Preseason Watch List
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