Every year, just weeks before the college football season kicks off, a group of more than 75 players is included on the Maxwell Award Watch List. This year, 80 players were included, and just one Illinois Fighting Illini made the cut.
Returning starting quarterback Luke Altmyer found his name about halfway through the list of players this Monday, alongside stars like Arch Manning, Jeremiah Smith, and Ryan Williams. Altmyer was the only Illini athlete on the list. The Penn State Nittany Lions had the most appearances with three: quarterback Drew Aller, running back Nicholas Singleton, and running back Kaytron Allen.
Despite defensive and special teams players being eligible for the award, this year's preseason watchlist was composed entirely of offensive athletes.
Last season, Altmyer was a monumental part of why Illinois found itself near the top of the Big Ten food chain and finished with a 10-3 overall record, including a Cheez-It Citrus Bowl game win over South Carolina.
2025 Maxwell Award Watch List
— Steve Helwick (@s_helwick) July 28, 2025
Awards most outstanding player in college football. 80 players, and all are offensive despite defensive players being eligible.
Penn State leads the way with 3 selections. pic.twitter.com/ZRxChB51oP
It wasn't entirely surprising when Altmyer announced his return for a final season of collegiate football. He played two years for the Ole Miss Rebels, barely earning a snap, before transferring to Illinois, where he quickly became the starter.
Luke Altmyer college career stats (at Illinois)
- 386 completions
- 4,600 passing yards
- 35 passing touchdowns (16 interceptions)
- 499 rushing yards
- 7 rushing touchdowns
Altmyer isn't necessarily considered a dual-threat quarterback, accumulating less than 500 rushing yards over the last two seasons with the Fighting Illini. However, at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, is stocky build allows him to dive through the line of scrimmage when he needs to.
This year, Altmyer is expected to produce even better numbers as he steps into a more veteran role, leading the relatively young offensive unit.
Illinois and Altmyer will kick off their 2025 campaign against the Western Illinois Leathernecks on Friday, Aug. 29, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed on Peacock.