Three winners and losers from Indiana football's Spring Game
By Dante Pryor
Losers
Kurtis Rourke
It wasn't so much that Rourke was a loser tonight as he wasn't a winner. Cignetti has been explicit about the quarterback competition. While he hasn't talked about the competition's progress, he has said that it is earned on the field. Rourke did run an excellent two-minute drill and threw the game-winning touchdown.
Rourke wasn't as sharp as Jackson tonight. He missed several throws, and did not push the ball down the field. Rourke did improve in the second half, however. Cignetti signed Rourke to take the job; he did not do that tonight.
The Offensive Line
After three-fifths of last year's line left after Tom Allen was fired, the trenches were of some concern. Carter Smith's return was a big deal, but much of the line is new. Pass blocking was solid overall, but they struggled with run blocking most of the night. They blocked Justice Ellison's early touchdown run well. They also blocked a 20-yard run by Kaelon Black well.
They did miss a couple of assignments in blitz pick up as well. That said, much of that is expected when so much of the line is new. They'll have all summer and fall to fix those things.