Luke Altmyer and Hank Beatty: How good are they?

We are halfway through the college football season, and you can’t talk about the Illini’s success without mentioning QB Luke Altmyer and WR Hank Beatty. Both seemed to have an awakening last season that has not only carried over but has grown exponentially.

Altmyer was vastly different last season from his first year in 2023, when he transferred from Ole Miss. He played in 9 games, completing 175 of 270 (65%) passes for 1,883 yards (209.2 yards per game), 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. The glimpses were there of what he COULD do. He applied the lessons he had learned, leveraging his experience and knowledge to post solid numbers last season. In 13 games, he completed 211 out of 347 passes (61%) for 2,717 yards, 22 touchdowns, with only six interceptions. So far this season in six games, he is 109 of 148 for 1,573 yards with 12 TDs and ZERO picks. If you play the averages out the rest of the season (at least seven games), it comes to 235 of 316 (74%) for 3,407 yards, 26 TDs. This should put him in contention for the Davey O’Brien Award. He stacks up well vs. recent winners.

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• Cam Ward 2024, 4,313 yds, 7.8 Yards Per Pass, 67% Completion rate, 39 TDs.

• Jayden Daniels 2023, 3,812 yds, 11.7 Yards Per Pass, 66% Completion rate, 40 TDs.

• Max Duggan 2022, 3,698 yards, 8.8 Yards Per Pass, 63% Completion rate, 32 TDs

If the Illini make the CFP and have a two or three-game run, he might even put himself in line for the Heisman conversation.

You take his stats, his on-field presence, and poise. It could also put him in a high round position in the NFL draft.

“He shuts out the noise and takes care of his day,” said Illinois head coach Bret Bielema.

Bielema has also called Altmyer’s preparation amazing.

“He has his own study in the building where he can get alone and watch films on his own. He does a great job of putting himself into preparation mode to get ready for Tuesday’s practice and execute, Wednesday he makes corrections, and Thursday get the gameplan together,” Bielema said.

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Altmyer’s performance this season is even more remarkable considering the Illini are minus the top two pass catchers from last season in Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin.

One reason for Altmyer’s success can be linked to WR Hank Beatty. Bryant and Franklin overshadowed Beatty’s emergence in the 2024 season. On the surface, Beatty’s 2025 receiving numbers seem odd with 569 yards on 32 catches, but only 2 TDs. But once you add his Special Teams play, he has nine punt returns for 170 yards and one touchdown, rushed for 25 yards and one TD, and thrown for one touchdown. So, if you look at his all-purpose stats, he has 767 yards and four touchdowns. It is not hard to imagine that if he can increase TD receptions and maintain his yardage pace, he could be in line for the Biletnikoff award honoring the nation’s top receiver. If you put his stat pace in his receiving for the rest of the year (at least seven games), it would give him 1,232 yards (248 yards more than Pat Bryant did last season). However, his projected TDs would be only five. So he would have to have a sharp increase in TDs (9-10) to have a legit shot.

Here is how he would match up against the last three winners if he maintains his current pace.

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Beatty, 69 catches, 1,232 yards, 17.8 yards per catch.

• Last year’s winner, Travis Hunter, 96 catches, 1,258 yards, 13.1 yards per catch, 15 TDs.

• 2023 winner Marvin Harrison Jr., 67 catches, 1,211 yards, 18.1YPC, 14 TDs.

• 2022 winner Jalin Hyatt 67 catches, 1,267 yards, 18.9 YPC, 15 TDs.

“There are things we design and put him in position, but he just lets the game come to him naturally,” Bielema said. “I think that’s a good sign.”

Bielema also said this about the connection between Altmyer and Beatty.

“Luke has a high comfort level throwing him the ball in his area and knows what he’s going to do and could do after the catch.”

To me, when it comes to Beatty, I think it is a no-brainer that we could see him on an NFL roster next season.