Whether it’s because of his instantly recognizable mullet, his camo clothing collection or of course, the fact that he’s one of the best quarterbacks in Illinois history, senior Luke Altmyer has undoubtedly left a mark in Champaign that will last well beyond this season. 

In his first game with the Illini, Altmyer delivered two things that became hallmarks of his time with the program: a win and a last-minute game-winning drive — the first of six he racked up for Illinois. 

“He’s kind of us in a nutshell,” said head coach Bret Bielema. 

Both the quarterback and the program have come a long way since that 30-28 win over Toledo. Illinois won 23 games in three seasons with Altmyer. The quarterback racked up 68 total touchdowns and more than 8,400 total yards with his arm, legs and even as a receiver.

Now, after confirming that he will play in the Music City Bowl next week, Altmyer has one last game with the Illini. 

His impact on the team goes far beyond what he’s done with his arm, which has been transformative in its own right. 

All season long, Altmyer’s teammates raved about his leadership abilities. Junior wide receiver Hudson Clement, who transferred from West Virginia prior to this year, was quick to recognize the quarterback as a commanding presence.

“He’s a leader, man,” Clement said. “Whether it’s with his feet, with his arm, talking to the guys on the sideline, he’s a leader, and we’re happy to have him.”

While Altmyer is now a standout voice on a veteran team, this wasn’t always the case. Following his first season with the Illini in 2023, his teammates did not select Altmyer as a captain for the 2024 season. 

“When he got here, he was quiet,” said senior center Josh Kreutz. “He would tell you that. He got just more and more … louder (in) his voice, his leadership.”

Altmyer’s journey to his “C” is clear both through the progression of his play and the team’s success. In 2023, the quarterback struggled, even briefly losing his starting job to former backup John Paddock. 

That year, opponents picked off Altmyer 10 times, while he threw for just 13 touchdowns. The team regressed from eight wins in 2022 to just five in 2023. 

However, the two following seasons, the team turned it around and won five of its first six as Altmyer emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in the conference. He connected for over 2,700 yards in both 2024 and 2025, leading the team to back-to-back eight-win seasons for the first time since 1989-1990. 

Of course, the team’s recent success isn’t all because of Altmyer’s presence and performance. However his teammates credit the quarterback as a true game-changer. 

“When you got a quarterback like that, as an offensive lineman, you just want to protect him,” Kreutz said. “Protect him with everything you got because how good he is, how much he can win you games. I’m happy I got to play with him.” 

Clement sees Altmyer similarly and also tries to make plays to help out the quarterback and in turn, the team. 

“He’s a dog,” Clement said. “You see it every week, and I’m just trying to make plays for him, help him out anyway I can. And he’s gonna do his thing regardless.”

The receiver helped Altmyer out tremendously in the second half of the season. Clement recorded 270 of his 406 yards and all three of his touchdowns across the year’s final six games. 

Clement also hauled in one of Alymer’s four touchdown passes during the team’s 35-13 win over Rutgers in November. The highlight-reel catch accounted for one of Altmyer’s five touchdowns on the day. That secured him his second Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honor of the season. 

Next season though, a different quarterback will be targeting Clement. Freshman Carson Boyd is among a group of contenders that also includes several names from the transfer portal. Boyd has the advantage of learning from Altmyer this year, something he said has helped him. 

“I’m learning a lot,” Boyd said. “I’m seeing the way he attacks meetings and practice like everything is a game for him. It’s been good for me.”

Whether it’s Boyd under center or not next season, it’s next to impossible to replace the leader that the team is losing. 

Altmyer’s next stop is likely to be the NFL in some capacity. Whether he’s drafted or not remains to be seen. He’s garnered some attention as a possible Day 3 pick, but should at least earn a contract as an undrafted free agent if his name is not called in April. 

Altmyer recently accepted an invitation to the Panini Senior Bowl at the end of January. A strong showing could significantly improve his draft stock.

The quarterback’s time in the orange and blue isn’t done yet. Altmyer leads Illinois into Tuesday’s Music City Bowl against Tennessee with a chance to earn the group’s ninth win of the season. A win in Nashville would give the Illini back-to-back nine-win seasons for the first time in 134 years of program history. Fittingly, that historic ninth win would likely come thanks to the play of #9. 

“There’s nobody in this country I’d rather be on this field with than Luke Altmyer,” Bielema said.  

@BrendanGallian

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