Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2025 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, according to an announcement from the Davey O’Brien Foundation on Thursday.
Altmyer is among 36 players selected for the watch list, which features top returning quarterbacks in college football. The list is assembled by a subset of the Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee based on past Division I performance and expectations for the upcoming season.
Altmyer has also been recognized on preseason watch lists for both the Walter Camp Player of the Year and Maxwell Award. He is the first Illinois player to appear on the Davey O’Brien preseason watch list since Nathan Scheelhaase in 2012.
The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is presented each year to what is deemed as the best college quarterback in the nation. The award honors those who display character, teamwork, sportsmanship, and leadership in academics and athletics. More information about recent winners can be found at the Davey O’Brien Award Website. Recent recipients include Cam Ward (Miami) in 2024, Jayden Daniels (LSU) in 2023, and Max Duggan (TCU) in 2022.
Altmyer’s career highlights include being named to multiple preseason all-conference teams and national awards lists such as:
– 2025 Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List
– 2025 Maxwell Award Watch List
– 2025 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten Second Team
– 2025 Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten Third Team
– 2025 Big Ten Preseason Honors
– 2025 Wooden Citizen Cup nominee
In addition, he received All-Big Ten Honorable Mention recognition in 2024 and leads active players nationally with five career game-winning drives in either overtime or a game’s final minute. In his previous season, Altmyer started all thirteen games for Illinois and helped lead them to a ten-win season—a result that ties Illinois’ single-season record—while throwing twenty-two touchdown passes against six interceptions.
Other Illinois football players are also featured on various national award watch lists as of August 7: Hank Beatty (Paul Hornung Award), J.C. Davis (Outland Trophy), Kaden Feagin (Doak Walker Award), Lane Hansen (Patrick Mannelly Award), Gabe Jacas (Lott IMPACT Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy), Aidan Laughery (Doak Walker Award), Kenenna Odeluga (Allstate Wuerffel Trophy), and Xavier Scott (Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Paycom Jim Thorpe Award).
“Luke Altmyer has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2025 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award,” according to Thursday’s release from the Davey O’Brien Foundation.
