5 key Illinois football players to see a massive improvement in 2024

Luke Altmyer – Quarterback

Year one with Luke Altmyer at the helm didn’t go that well. He had some great moments, especially with his legs, but overall, it was an underwhelming first season in Champaign for the former four-star recruit.

Altmyer came to Champaign after making a stop at Ole Miss. He didn’t see the playing time with the Rebels, so he transferred out and is now the starter for the Illini.

You could tell there was some solid arm talent with Altmyer. Last season, he threw for 1,883 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He also had a completion rate of 64.8%.

Altmyer ended up getting hurt toward the end of the 2023 campaign, and John Paddock took over for a minute. Out of the two quarterbacks, Paddock actually finished with a better grade last season.

I think Altmyer is in store for a big improvement this upcoming season, though. He now has a year of playing under his belt, and he is finishing up an offseason where he got a chance to learn the playbook more and get more familiar with his teammates.

This didn’t feel like Altmyer’s team last season, but he is now the leader of the Illinois offense. I think that is going to make a huge difference too. He will have command over what is going on.

I also believe an improved offensive line could do wonders for Altmyer. While he should get the ball out quicker, he will have time to pass in the pocket with the recent additions to the Illinois offensive line. This will help a lot with his accuracy.

The improvement of Altmyer should be pretty noticeable early on in the 2024 season. This is his team, and I look forward to seeing what he can do on the field.