Bret Bielema finally went back to winning ways when Luke Altmyer started for Illinois in 2023. Now, after a near-miss attempt at the playoffs last year, Illinois is gearing up to be the next Indiana. But unlike the Hoosiers, the Fighting Illini aren’t going to be a surprise. Altmyer returns as one of the best QBs in the conference, looking to end his career on a big note. “I play because I love it… I love the pain of the game,” he told RG.org. Altmyer now has a shining resume in hand. But he’s also got some battle scars as proof of the hard work he’s put in.

“I love the agony of defeat because it makes me want to beat ’em, to go get it even more,” Altmyer further added in his interview. The QB returns as one of the most experienced ones this season. With Altmyer in the lead, the Illini offense was a unit that was scoring nearly 30 points on average last year. The QB is the reason why Bielema’s record for the past two years is so good. Had Altmyer not been injured in 2023, Illinois would’ve had 2 back-to-back 10-win seasons. However, Altmyer became the star of Illinois football only after some painful stumbles.

Yogi Roth said in an August 14 appearance on the Big 10 Network, “I think there’s a couple truths at quarterback. Number one is, you have to have scars. … You have to go through things. He did that. He’s a transfer. When he had a big start here in his first year, he struggled against Penn State.” Luke Altmyer is a year 3 starter. That means he’s seen the good and bad of being a QB1 of a struggling team, and yet, managed to turn it into one of the most promising ahead of this season. Altmyer, in 2023, showed a lack of awareness on the field, often misjudging his plays. But in 2024, there was a marked improvement, which kept them just a stone’s throw away from the playoffs.

Altmyer’s stats are proof of how far he’s come in terms of improvement. He threw for 1,883 yards, scored 13 TDs, and had an alarmingly high no. of interceptions, hauling in 10 of them. Last year, Altmyer neared completing 3000 passing yards, finishing at 2,717, scored 22 TDs, and cut down his interceptions to just 6. He still has to turn his losses against marquee programs, Penn State and Oregon, into wins. But Altmyer helped Illinois get a one-up over some of its 2023 losses, like Kansas, Nebraska, and Purdue.

“He talked about how that has fueled him and how he’s found tools to navigate that,” Roth said. “I think that he’s a young man that’s just going to be able to handle the environment. You watch him play. He’s accurate, he’s precise. He’s getting them in and out of the right place,” he added. Altmyer returns as one of the only 2 winningest Big 10 QBs from last year, the other being his contemporary/opponent in Penn State. He also returns with the most returning offensive production, giving him an edge.

“Bret Bielema, he’s obsessive around the tiny little situations. Quarterback, he’s the same exact way.  He said that’s a lot of their conversations now, and that’s going to be this team. They’re going to be in one-score games again this year with him at quarterback, with the discernment, with his football IQ, with the situations that they practice. I think they’re in a really good position when things get tight late,” Roth added. Bret Bielema is once again in winning contention with Altmyer in hand, and is looking at a really good season ahead of him. Needless to say, a successful Luke Altmyer means a successful Bret Bielema. And based on the coach’s update from fall camp, that seems to be in the works.

Bret Bielema hopes for a better Luke Altmyer in 2025

Bret Bielema scored a jackpot when Luke Altmyer transferred from Ole Miss. Back there, Jaxson Dart was set to keep the starting job locked down for another two seasons. It would be difficult for Altmyer to win a starting job as a Rebel. That’s why he brought his skills to Illinois and had a brilliant start right away. Along with him, Bielema basked in the newfound glory that came his way. He needs a healthy Luke Altmyer for a great 2025, and an even better Luke Altmyer to meet their unfinished goal from 2025.

“He’s very intentional in what he does, intentional in his relationships, intentional in his delivery, intentional in his progress, and what I love to see is I love to see kids that work really hard and get the rewards of it, and hopefully this year it’s going to be an even bigger step in the right direction,” Bielema told Big 10 Network’s Rick Pizzo. Altmyer will see a change in his supporting cast, since the trusted duo of Zakhari Franklin and Pat Bryant is no longer with the team. But Bielema will still be banking on the success of Altmyer, who is looking to go even bigger than next season.

“I’m exhausting all my gifts – physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, to be my best,” Luke Altmyer told WCIA. The QB has been in an upward trend ever since he made his debut as Illinois’ QB1. He has only looked back to get better at the game, which showed in the results. This year, he’s hoping to do exactly the same.