BYU’s search for quarterback help out of the transfer portal is growing increasingly complicated.
The Cougars have missed out on another coveted QB candidate, as former Ohio Bobcat Kurtis Rourke turned down an offer from Kalani Sitake’s program in favor of Indiana, he announced Thursday through social media.
BYU had offered Rourke last week following his five-year stint at Ohio where he passed for 7,666 yards and 50 touchdowns. The 2022 MAC Offensive Player of the Year also received offers from Vanderbilt and Wake Forest before committing to Indiana, giving new Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti a veteran arm to lean on.
Rourke isn’t the only transfer target to turn down BYU this week. Former Pleasant Grove Viking Sam Leavitt opted for Arizona State over Provo, while Boise State’s talented Taylen Green ended up at Arkansas.
The Cougars’ QB room isn’t empty, with Jake Reztlaff, Cade Fennegan, Nick Billoups, Cole Hagen and Ryder Burton remaining along with a few incoming high school products on their way, but it also isn’t exactly the most stacked area within the program.
BYU will continue its search for an experienced passer to head the offense in 2024, though options are dwindling as names fly off the board left and right.
One of the Cougars’ last remaining links is Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager, who visited the program this past Sunday and has yet to make a transfer decision.
Schager finished 2023 10th nationally with 3,542 passing yards for the Rainbow Warriors, adding 26 touchdowns and a 130.9 rating. Over three seasons at Hawaii, he accounted for 43 total scores and won 10 games.
The Dallas native holds one remaining year of eligibility, although 247Sports has reported that Schager will most likely attempt to obtain a waiver for an additional season.
The Cougars have yet to add any players from the transfer portal this offseason, although running back Miles Davis did return to the program after entering the portal for a brief period. Six former BYU players are currently in the portal, with none having committed elsewhere yet.
“The key in the transfer portal and in recruiting is to make sure that they are a good fit for our culture and our program. If they do that then I think they will be fine,” Sitake said following the Cougars’ season-ending loss at Oklahoma State on Nov. 25. “If they want to be at BYU, then we will play a lot better with them being here. … So there is a lot happening in college football. We will look at the places to improve on and find a way to get it done.”