Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer, a Starkville, Miss., is happy to represent the banner of pride in the northern part of the college football world.

January 18, 2025

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first in a series looking at the Illini football roster. This is only a review of Illinois personnel at this time and is not a preview of what the Illini’s positional depth will look like by the time preseason practice opens in early August.)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Luke Altmyer likely never envisioned himself being a posterchild for football above the Mason-Dixon Line in the United States of America.

While growing up in what is called the ‘Golden Triangle’ of Mississippi near the communities of Starkville, Columbus and West Point, Altmyer was present on the sidelines of basically every Southeastern Conference stadium with his father Chad, the lead orthopedic surgeon for Mississippi State athletics from 2003-22. Like most fans who grow up in a specific region of this country, the sports figures you’re most near to in proximity is what your indoctrinated into and presents an admittedly myopic view of whatever sport but specifically in Deep South - football. For example, in the case of Altmyer, it took him more than a day to compose himself and write down what he wanted to say to Archie Manning when the Illini quarterback elected to pass on the annual traditional invite to be one of several dozen college quarterbacks who participate as counselors at The Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana. Like the last name Kennedy in this country or anybody related to the Royal Family in Great Britain, the Manning name is considered football royalty in the Deep South states especially Mississippi, Louisiana and even Alabama. When asked by IlliniGuys.com last August how difficult the decision was and how long the phone conservation with Archie Manning was for Altmyer, the Illini quarterback said “very difficult and extremely long and filled with him trying to change my mind”.

However, long before Illinois managed to produce a 21-17 win in the Citrus Bowl over South Carolina, Altmyer found himself carrying a flag for a region of the country he only has spent a little under two years as a student resident.

“I’ve been hearing all this talk about SEC, SEC in the playoff and things like that, and I’m just tired of the disrespect,” Altmyer said. “Illinois has been a disrespected program for a long time. I know that because I’m from that area and that conference. I don’t think that’s the case anymore.”

Altmyer finished the bowl win over an SEC opponent, which his father confirmed to IlliniGuys.com was a program the Altmyer family contacted about a possible transfer after Luke Altmyer announced his move after two seasons at the University of Mississippi, with 174 yards and a touchdown.

“I remember we were at the spot during a Citrus Bowl activity with (South Carolina) players and they were calling us Syracuse and acting like they didn’t know who they were playing,” Altmyer said. “Not that we needed any extra motivation, but that was all we needed to hear.”

For a school that has a historical tradition of producing quality quarterbacks in the form of Dave Wilson, Tony Eason, Jeff George, Kurt Kittner and Isaiah ‘Juice’ Williams, Altmyer’s 2024 season put his name in the record books as he finished 12th all-time in passing yards (2,717), tied for third in touchdown passes (22) and second in passing efficiency (144.0).

As he enters this offseason having passed on several tampering offers to enter the transfer portal and is embracing the role of a third-year starter at Illinois, Altmyer’s head coach believes his quarterback should have and is prepared to handle a new title for 2025 - Heisman Trophy candidate.

“Anytime you have your quarterback coming back, there's a lot of great things [which can happen in the future]," Illini head coach Bret Bielema said following the Citrus Bowl win. "Because I think even [Illini safety] Matt [Bailey] will tell you that our defense feeds off Luke Altmyer, and the confidence that we have in our offense.”

Projected Starter:
Luke Altmyer - Fifth-year (third-year starter)

Important Contributors:
Ethan Hampton - fourth-year (one-year starter at Northern Illinois); Trey Petty - second year (redshirted in 2024); Carson Boyd - first year; Jershaun Newton - first year

Easiest Answer: Altmyer is the leader of this Illini offense

Altmyer certainly enters this spring as in a different place mentally and emotionally while still believing he had the same arm talent as two seasons ago when he was benched for the final two games of the regular season in place of John Paddock. Now, Altmyer is the guy who stands at center court of State Farm Center ready for the actual spotlight as he announced his official return to Illinois and college football before the team left for Orlando for the Citrus Bowl.

“I remember last spring questioning whether I wanted to even do this anymore and just battling," Altmyer said. "There's so many different things. An identity crisis. Man, I just can't give enough praise to Jesus and my Lord and savior. He's put me in so many great positions, and I just prayed all throughout this year that it'd just be me and him out there on that field and His presence was totally more than I could even expect.”

Biggest Question: Is Trey Petty ready to overtake a previous starter at a Mid-American Conference bowl team for the Illini backup quarterback job?

Trey Petty’s freshman year on the football field at the high school level and the college level have been exactly the same. As he embarked on a new educational step at both Starkville (Miss.) High School and now Illinois, he has had the opportunity to sit back and stand on the sidelines to watch Altmyer shine as the starter. However, Bielema was constantly talking about the effectiveness the then-freshman quarterback was showing as the scout team quarterback in mimicking the opposition dual-threat quarterback such as Kansas’ Jadon Daniels, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Michigan State’s Aidan Chiles and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers. However, his value was not seen on the playing field as Petty didn’t receive a snap of action despite being on the Illini travel roster as the third-string option late in the 2024 season. The spring before the 2024 season is Petty’s time to show he’s ready to overtake an experienced transfer portal addition in Hampton, who was given no promises that he’ll be slotted into Donovan Leary’s slot (who transferred to Tulane this winter) as Altmyer’s backup.