Curt Cignetti shaped up the fate of the Hoosiers. But let’s be honest, he couldn’t do it with ease without Kurtis Rourke. Love him or hate him, but you can’t ignore the class he oozes out in every play. The younger Rourke had been a top-tier quarterback at Ohio before his knee injury, but the 6-foot-5, 223-pound pocket passer challenged his standard only to take it to a supreme level under coach Cignetti’s pro-style offense. In a few hours, the kid is set to go against the might of Penn State. To boost his mojo, the entire of Canada is rooting for the kid, and so is his brother, Nathan Rourke.

The Oakville, Ont. native completed a whopping 70.4 per cent of his passes for 2,827 yards and threw 27 touchdown passes with only four interceptions, taking his team to an unprecedented 11-1. But it’s never a fluke. Kurtis Rourke has it in his blood. You get to sense this if you watch the elder Rourke take command on the field. The Jaguars QB ‘Mapple Missile has also been a premium quarterback, spreading fear to the defense. The Rourke brothers played together for the Ohio Bobcats. Even if they eventually moved on to their separate path, Nathan Rourke closely watched the noise his brother had been making lately with the Hoosiers. He couldn’t be more proud of his little chap. ‘‘He has surpassed many people’s expectations. Why not one more? Let’s go IU,” the NFL biggie cheered his brother on his IG story ahead of the statement fight.

This comment came in the backdrop of his detailed interview on CFL’s YouTube Channel, where he extensively let the world know what their brotherly equation looks like. It’s really competitive. But at the end of the day, it’s really supportive of each other. In the off-season, we will compete for even week to week, we compete on stats and whatnot but at the end of the day, I just wanna see him succeed. I can’t wait to see what he does this year. I am excited to watch him spin it,” Nathan Rourke came candid.

The Rourke brothers resemble a beautiful paradox. They are so similar yet so different in their career path and playing style. Larry and Robyn Rourke raised their kids with the same values and lessons. Eventually, they picked the same passion. After intertwining for some time, Nathan left for the NFL and carved out his own path while Kurtis Rourke made the year a big splash with the Hoosiers.

Though Kurtis hasn’t made it to the NFL yet, unlike his brother, coach Cignetti has a similar grade complement for his favorite pocket passer.

Coach Curt Cignetti made an NFL comparison with Kurtis Rourke

The brothers’ duo has been different in their very style and qualities. While the younger one is widely regarded for his cannon arm, the big bro is a formidable dual-threat QB. They have their own share of strengths and weaknesses. But what they do best is to chisel the best out of each other? How? Through a constant rivalry bond, maybe over a drawing-room discussion. Their path can meet again in the NFL if everything goes in that order, but for now, Kurtis Rourke has already showcased the signature NFL signs.

Coach Cignetti elucidated, ”He’s like an old grizzly NFL vet that’s played in the Pro Bowl a few times, taken thousands of snaps, knows how to handle every situation and circumstance.”

Brother Rourke will also be very happy to share some of the pro-NFL tips with his most loved rival. But no offense intended, Nathan is really thankful that Kurtis moved on from Bobcats before he did. ‘‘At least some of my records will be safe,” the brother took a breath of relief.

The brotherly banter will continue to add spice to their adorable bond, while the Rourke legacy will continue to run the football realm with all its essence and flavor. For now, all to play for against the Fighting Irish.