Bruce Arians, head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has a saying — no risk it, no biscuit. Ed Hervey and the BC Lions went all in on getting that biscuit when they selected Canadian quarterback, Nathan Rourke, out of Ohio University in the second round of the 2020 CFL Draft.
Arguably the most decorated Canadian signal caller in NCAA history, Nathan was a legitimate NFL prospect and appears to have a very bright future north of the border with the Leos. A true dual threat quarterback, Nathan put up gaudy numbers in the air and on the ground with Ohio during his three years on campus.
Few players in the CFL Draft have generated as much fanfare as Nathan has following his selection last week. Today we will take a closer look at the former Ohio Bobcat. Below are five things to know about the newest Lion.
Nathan was born in Victoria
Despite Ohio listing Oakville, ON as Nathan’s hometown, we discovered after the draft that the athletic passer was born in Victoria, BC. His family moved to Ontario when Nathan was two, but he grew up a fan of the BC Lions. 2020 will be something of a homecoming for the BC boy as one would assume his family will be regular visitors to BC Place this season.
Nathan played high school football in Alabama
With the hope of earning a scholarship to play football at a D-I school in the States, Nathan’s family left their Oakville home and moved south to Elmore, AL prior to the start of his senior season. Rourke suited up for Edgewood Academy and guided the Wildcats to the state title. He was wildly productive at Edgewood Academy, setting the state record by passing for 59 touchdowns and compiling 3,789 yards through the air.
Nathan was the MVP of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 2020
Nathan led the Bobcats to three consecutive bowl wins during his tenure as their starting quarterback. The last of which was the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, which is really quite famous. The game is played annually on the blue turf in Boise, ID. This year’s game was an upset win for Ohio against the Nevada Wolfpack. Rourke was a steadying force for the team, completing 9 of his 17 pass attempts for 144 yards, while adding 87 yards on the ground and one score. Nathan’s athleticism was on full display when he pulled away from defenders for a 35-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The senior showed great leadership in the win and capped off his legacy in style.
Nathan’s favourite film is The Dark Knight
There are some eerie similarities between Heath Ledger’s Joker and the style of football Nathan plays. Much like the Joker, Rourke merciliously attacks defences and is a constant threat to the opposition. He can hurt you in a variety of ways. He can lob bombs into the end zone and he can also knife through the defence on the ground. Good luck stopping him when he has the ball in his hands.
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Nathan was named to the All-MAC team in each of his three seasons with Ohio
Ohio fans were fortunate to get to watch Nathan play quarterback every Saturday for three years. The 21-year-old was named to the All-MAC team in all three of his seasons with the Bobcats. As a senior in 2019, Nathan received the honour of being the All-MAC first-team quarterback. Rourke was very deserving of the attention this past season, throwing for 2,820 yards and 20 touchdowns, while running for 867 yards and 13 scores.