It was a weird spring for Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer.
Returning for his final season in Champaign this fall, Altmyer was candid in his assessment that he was pursuing other options for his final college go-around. Particularly in the SEC, where he had a prior stint at Ole Miss before transferring to the Illini ahead of the 2023 season.
According to an exclusive interview with On3's Pete Nakos, it took a lot of thought for Altmyer to walk back his December announcement and dump coach Bret Bielema for familiar territory.
“It was certainly an attraction and a real thing. It was a difficult decision, but I know what’s important," Altmyer said.
Bielema said during spring practice, there was little doubt Altmyer would return even amid the UCLA-Tennessee drama with Nico Iamaleava.
"0.0 [percent]," Bielema said in April. "[It's] because of the person you guys know he is. I think the outside world will say it, but literally, no [I didn't think he would]. Did I have concerns? I had more concerns about [him going to] the NFL than I did [him staying in] college, right?"
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Altmyer agreed with his coach after all, especially with how the program has turned around under Bielema's guidance.
"It’d be foolish to pick up and start over and take a risk when I have a lot of trust that’s been earned and built," Altmyer said regarding his eventual decision.
Altmyer said it was difficult to ignore the online banter, too, as the spring transfer portal heated up.
"That was a funky time. It was a tricky, tricky, complex time," Altmyer said. "There was a lot of speculation, and the Twitterverse is going nuts."
Now, that speculation can be put to rest as the Fighting Illini gear up for their biggest season since 2008. Season tickets are sold out, and seven home contests await them, which include defending national champion Ohio State.
The Illini's Memorial Stadium schedule gets underway immediately. Eighteen of 22 starters return, as they host Western Illinois and Western Michigan in two of their first three weeks.
Whether they can replicate their 10-win season from last year and return to a bowl game, or qualify for the College Football Playoff for the first time, the season commences Friday, Aug. 29, where all of the Illini's key questions will soon be answered.