The 2026 Illinois football roster is likely to see a lot of turnover, with no position as impacted as the quarterback.
After a large amount of retention this past offseason, losing Illini veteran quarterback Luke Altmyer to the draft will surely lead to a massive hole at the quarterback position.
A tough decision awaits Bret Bielema as to where Illinois finds their next field general, whether that be trusting their youngsters in-house or looking beyond to the transfer portal.
While both options are viable, the most likely scenario for Bielema and his staff is sticking with the talent they already have on the roster.
The draw of coming to Illinois is the confidence the coaching staff has in its players and their commitment to putting them in the best positions to succeed.
This leaves a battle between Carson Boyd, Trey Petty, and Jershaun Newton, although it may not end up being much of a competition. By all accounts, the Petty era is what should come next.
Petty, a redshirt sophomore heading into the 2026 season, will have two years of development and learning in the Illinois system and from Altmyer. This experience will be incredibly valuable, especially amongst his competition, who will be extremely raw.
His playstyle is similar to Altmyer’s as a dual-threat quarterback, as he amassed nearly 7,000 passing yards and more than 3,000 rushing yards in his high school career.
Having the ability to retain a lot of the playbook from the year prior would provide Petty a lot of comfort as a starter. Overall, Petty should instill as much excitement and confidence in Illini fans as a talent as young as him can.
On the flip side, the Illini looking outward could open themselves up for a major gamble. While the staff has a keen eye for talent, there truly is no telling as to how a quarterback will perform in a new system.
The same skills and success seen at one school may not transfer to Illinois, running the risk of a lost season due to incompetence at the most important position in football.
Although a change in quarterback may bring some concerns, the Illini should be in very good hands going forward.