5 biggest surprises from the Illinois football win over Eastern Illinois

Illinois football couldn't have looked much better on Thursday night, as Eastern Illinois felt the wrath of what this program could do on the field.

Aug 29, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) reacts after a touchdown during the second half against the Eastern Illinois Panthers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

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3. The ability of Luke Altmyer to spread the ball

The 2023 Illinois football team was a bit choppy and not a great watch at times. It was Luke Altmyer’s first season with the program, so some adjustments were needed.

Altmyer ended up throwing for 1,883 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in year one in Champaign. Moreover, Altmyer had comfort blankets in the Illinois offense in 2023.

NFL wide receiver Isaiah Williams was a player Altmyer leaned on a lot. He had 82 receptions last season, which was 33 more catches than our No. 2 wide receiver, Casey Washington.

Illinois’ top three pass catchers had at least 43 receptions in 2023. Our No. 4 pass catcher had 19 receptions. There was a huge drop-off. Altmyer relied a lot on our No. 1 wide receiver, and he didn’t get to go through his progressions fully, so he targeted only a few options most of the time.

On Thursday, it was nice to see Altmyer looking much more comfortable in the Illinois offense. This familiarity enabled him to not only look better, but he was able to feel the blitz and go through his progressions while also evading any incoming defensive player.

Altmyer was able to spread the ball around because he is more comfortable in the Illinois offense. For the game, he completed 19 passes to 10 different players. The ability to spread the ball around will only help this Illinois offense move down the field more efficiently. My hope is that this continues on into the Kansas game.

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