Record-setting Canadian QB Nathan Rourke goes Unsigned by NCAA schools: Why?

[OV Argo]

The Frisco Bowl featuring Ohio University with Canadians Nathan Rourke and Maleek Irons, playing San Diego State will be broadcast on TSN2 on Wednesday, December 19th at 8:00 PM (Eastern Time).

Watched a good part of that game = Ohio dominated for an easy win. That's 2 straight Bowl win seasons with Rourke at the helm.

Rourke was impressive - both as a real run threat QB, but also showed a strong arm, especially on deep balls. Don't know if Rourke will end up drawing some NFL interest after his Senior year next season, but he might? CFL interest ? = who knows. Interesting to hear that Rourke's brother - also a QB - has been recruited to Ohio for next year.

Canadian RB Maleek Irons did not play at all (after having a real good season there) - he is their #2 back in a run heavy offence; their #1 RB - AJ Ouellette - had an outstanding game - force as a ball carrier, but also made 2 good grabs, and was excellent as a blocker; some CFL team should be looking at this guy down the road if he does not draw NFL interest - looks like a total package RB.

[jerrym]

Thanks for the good summary of the game OV. I enjoyed watching Nathan in action.

There is more good news when it comes to Rourke and Ohio University. Nathan's brother, Kurtis, another QB, has just signed to play with Ohio. Thanks to Nathan, Kurtis didn't have to go through what Nathan did to sign with a Division I team. Despite an outstanding high school career in Burlington and Oakville, Nathan had to go play in an Alabama high school in his senior year to get any attention in the US college system. Despite doing an outstanding job there, he could only get Fort Scott community college to sign him. Despite another outstanding season, Ohio University was one of the few Division I schools interested in Nathan.

Nathan Rourke’s long, roundabout, highlight-rich trip to the NCAA is complete: The Canadian quarterback has officially committed to play Div. I football at Ohio University.
Rourke played at three different schools the last three years in order to earn a scholarship. First he led Oakville’s Holy Trinity Titans to their first OFSAA bowl championship in 2014. Then he guided Edgewood Academy to a 13-0 record and a Class AA Alabama state championship one year ago. After that he paced the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference with 2,367 passing yards in 11 games this fall. ...

A recruiting whirlwind followed, but the second part of his plan proved tougher to accomplish.
“I talked to UCLA, Missouri, Rice and FAU, a bunch of schools, but one way or another the door shut on me for different reasons,” Rourke says.
When the opportunities with Div. I programs dried up, Rourke decided to go the junior-college route and attend Fort Scott Community College in Kansas, which has seen the likes of first-team NFL players Jason Pierre-Paul and Lavonte David come through the program recently.
The six-foot-two, 215-lb. quarterback passed for 2,367 yards with 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, which earned Rourke a first-team All KJCCC nod at QB. ...

The Canadian quarterback wants to break down barriers for pivots from the north. “That’s the motivation. That’s what wakes you up in the morning. It’s hardly done in the CFL, and that’s our league—there’s no Canadian quarterbacks starting. In the NFL Canadian quarterbacks just doen't happen. In the NCAA, it’s rare.”

https://www.sportsnet.ca/football/nf...io-university/

It's been just the opposite with Kurtis, as many Division I schools pursued him after playing at Holy Trinity in Oakville without having to go the US. However, he quickly decided to sign with Ohio. On the game broadcast last night, the announcers said Ohio plans to have Kurtis redshirt next year while his brother plays in his senior year, which still allows Kurtis to play in a couple of games, then play full-time in his redshirt freshman year with the expectation of him becoming the team's starting QB eventually. Even Nathan had to wait behind American QBs as they repeatedly failed to produce last year, until he led the team to come-from-behind victories as a backup.

Since the NCAA has woken up to Canadian QB talent, I think it's about time the CFL did too.

The first url shows highlights of Kurtis Rourke's 2018 season with Oakville. The second url has a review of his skills.

https://a.hudl.com/profile/5350951/Kurtis-Rourke

https://canadafootballchat.com/ohio-...kurtis-rourke/