Illinois Football: Is Brandon Peters returning good for the Illini?

Illinois football fans are finding out who is going to take advantage of the NCAA’s rule that essentially grants everyone in fall sports one more year of eligibility.

There have already been about eight Illini players who have made their decision. Jake Hansen and Milo Eifler are departing and would have been anyway because they are upperclassmen. Kendrick Green announced he was heading to the NFL Draft, which wasn’t a surprise, but he was only a junior.

While those three are leaving the Illini, there are a handful of players coming back. Illinois returns three of their five starting offensive linemen who were seniors in 2020. Vederian Lowe, Alex Palczewski and Doug Kramer are all returning. Ethan Table, a long snapper for the Illini, is also coming back.

And then there is Brandon Peters. On Tuesday, Peters announced he was going to return to Champaign for one more year. This announcement has probably piqued the interest of most Illinois fans.

In the press conference, after his announcement, Peters explained a little more about his decision.

"“I made the decision to come back before talking to him, Coach Bret Bielema. I know nothing is guaranteed. I know I have to go out and win the job.”"

Is Brandon Peters returning good for the Illini?

I know some Illini fans don’t seem too happy or are just okay about Peters returning. Honestly, I think this is great for the program.

Coach Bielema is coming into the Illinois football program with a blank slate. He isn’t tied to any recruit or transfer. He is coming in wide-eyed. That is going to be great for the quarterback position in particular.

I always believed Peters started as many games as he did because the coaching staff, in a way, promised the transfer quarterback that he would have the starting job. I think this hurt the team and, ultimately, led to the firing of the coaching staff.

Peters is coming back and with a coaching staff that doesn’t have any ties to any of these players, they will get to see who really belongs in the starting role at quarterback.

At the end of the day, if the starting quarterback ends up being Peters, he will have earned the job. All his return does is give the program more depth at the quarterback position and more options for the new Illini coaching staff. I am excited about his return to Champaign.