CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer was named to the Davey O'Brien Award Class of 2024, the award's committee announced Tuesday. Altmyer is one of 35 quarterbacks officially named a candidate to win the 2024 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award.
Altmyer has led Illinois to a 6-2 record and a top-25 national ranking for seven consecutive weeks. In three top-25 victories this season, Altmyer has totaled 560 yards of offense, a 65.7% completion percentage (46/70), six touchdowns (5 passing, 1 rushing), and zero interceptions. His four-touchdown performance at Nebraska is still the only time this season a QB has thrown for four touchdowns in a top-25 road win.
Altmyer has been one of the most efficient passers in the nation, leading the Big Ten and ranking third in the nation in touchdown/interception ratio at 15/3. Altmyer also ranks among the nation's best in touchdown passes (24th, 15) and passing efficiency rating (35th, 137.7).
Altmyer and the #24-ranked Illini are back at Memorial Stadium on Saturday against Minnesota. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on FS1.
Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2024
Drew Allar, Penn State
Luke Altmyer, Illinois
Rocco Becht, Iowa State
Carson Beck, Georgia
Max Brosmer, Minnesota
Bryson Daily, Army West Point
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech
Quinn Ewers, Texas
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
Eli Holstein, Pitt
Josh Hoover, TCU
Blake Horvath, Navy
Will Howard, Ohio State
Kevin Jennings, SMU
Avery Johnson, Kansas State
Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
Maddux Madsen, Boise State
John Mateer, Washington State
Jordan McCloud, Texas State
Kyle McCord, Syracuse
Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Chandler Morris, North Texas
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
Jake Retzlaff, BYU
Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Tyler Shough, Louisville
Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
Caden Veltkamp, Western Kentucky
Cam Ward, Miami
Hajj-Malik Williams, UNLV
Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana
The next step in the process will be to select the award's 16 semifinalists from the 35 quarterbacks. The semifinalists will be chosen based on voting from the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee as well as bonus ballots awarded from the first round of the Davey O'Brien Fan Vote.
For the fifth straight year, the Fan Vote will take place on the award's three social media platforms—Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (X)—and the top five vote getters on each platform will receive bonus committee member ballots which will be added to the votes cast by the National Selection Committee.
To participate in the Fan Vote, fans must like the original Davey O'Brien Award (@daveyobrien) post highlighting their quarterback. First-round voting will close Friday, Nov. 8 at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The semifinalists will be named on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Looking ahead, the three finalists will be tabbed on Tuesday, Nov. 26, while the winner will be announced live on Thursday, Dec. 12, on The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The Davey O'Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award was first issued in 1981. Over its time, the Davey O'Brien Foundation has given away more than $1.3 million in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life.
In 1938, O'Brien, who was a star quarterback for TCU, became the first player ever to win the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award in the same year. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.
The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The 48th Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
Altmyer has led Illinois to a 6-2 record and a top-25 national ranking for seven consecutive weeks. In three top-25 victories this season, Altmyer has totaled 560 yards of offense, a 65.7% completion percentage (46/70), six touchdowns (5 passing, 1 rushing), and zero interceptions. His four-touchdown performance at Nebraska is still the only time this season a QB has thrown for four touchdowns in a top-25 road win.
Altmyer has been one of the most efficient passers in the nation, leading the Big Ten and ranking third in the nation in touchdown/interception ratio at 15/3. Altmyer also ranks among the nation's best in touchdown passes (24th, 15) and passing efficiency rating (35th, 137.7).
Altmyer and the #24-ranked Illini are back at Memorial Stadium on Saturday against Minnesota. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on FS1.
Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2024
Drew Allar, Penn State
Luke Altmyer, Illinois
Rocco Becht, Iowa State
Carson Beck, Georgia
Max Brosmer, Minnesota
Bryson Daily, Army West Point
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech
Quinn Ewers, Texas
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
Eli Holstein, Pitt
Josh Hoover, TCU
Blake Horvath, Navy
Will Howard, Ohio State
Kevin Jennings, SMU
Avery Johnson, Kansas State
Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
Maddux Madsen, Boise State
John Mateer, Washington State
Jordan McCloud, Texas State
Kyle McCord, Syracuse
Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Chandler Morris, North Texas
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
Jake Retzlaff, BYU
Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Tyler Shough, Louisville
Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
Caden Veltkamp, Western Kentucky
Cam Ward, Miami
Hajj-Malik Williams, UNLV
Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana
The next step in the process will be to select the award's 16 semifinalists from the 35 quarterbacks. The semifinalists will be chosen based on voting from the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee as well as bonus ballots awarded from the first round of the Davey O'Brien Fan Vote.
For the fifth straight year, the Fan Vote will take place on the award's three social media platforms—Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (X)—and the top five vote getters on each platform will receive bonus committee member ballots which will be added to the votes cast by the National Selection Committee.
To participate in the Fan Vote, fans must like the original Davey O'Brien Award (@daveyobrien) post highlighting their quarterback. First-round voting will close Friday, Nov. 8 at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The semifinalists will be named on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Looking ahead, the three finalists will be tabbed on Tuesday, Nov. 26, while the winner will be announced live on Thursday, Dec. 12, on The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The Davey O'Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award was first issued in 1981. Over its time, the Davey O'Brien Foundation has given away more than $1.3 million in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life.
In 1938, O'Brien, who was a star quarterback for TCU, became the first player ever to win the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award in the same year. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.
The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The 48th Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
