The Illini have found their new QB1 in three-star senior quarterback Katin Houser.
The quarterback joins Illinois after spending the past two seasons at East Carolina, where he led the Pirates to back-to-back bowl-winning seasons.
Houser threw for 3,300 yards this season, 19th-best among all FBS quarterbacks. He threw for 19 touchdowns and ran for another nine while being picked off six times.
His 2025 season represented an across-the-board improvement from the year prior. He nearly halved his interceptions from 11 to six, threw for nearly 1,300 yards more and raised his completion percentage from 60.1 to 65.9.
Across two seasons with the Pirates, Houser threw for over 5,300 yards and 37 touchdowns. He transferred to East Carolina after spending his first two seasons at Michigan State, and now makes his return to the Big Ten.
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At Illinois, Houser has the tough task of taking the reins from Luke Altmyer. He joins a quarterback room that already features junior Ethan Hampton and freshman Carson Boyd, but he is the clear starter among the group.
The quarterback is the third player to commit to Illinois this portal cycle. Safety Lavon Williams and defensive lineman Carter Janki joined the team earlier today.
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