CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Ahead of his third and final year playing in an Illinois jersey, Luke Altmyer has been named a team captain for the first time in his career.

Receiving an honor like this one is special, and it’s something the Illini quarterback said he won’t soon forget.

“Being recognized, not being given that, but earning that right, that privilege is super cool, something I’ll carry with me forever,” Altmyer said.

At Illinois, these team captains are voted on by the entire team. According to head coach Bret Bielema, not only was Altmyer one of just six captains selected by his teammates for the upcoming season — he was getting votes from both sides of the ball.

“He got the most votes of anyone on our team, so that said something to me because there’s a lot of defensive guys that voted for him too,” Bielema said.

After throwing for more than 2,700 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior, Altmyer decided to come back for his last year of eligibility, and does so as one of the nation’s top returning QBs.

But while throwing touchdowns and making big plays is great, for the Mississippi native, being recognized for his character is just as impactful.

“It’s about who you are as a person, and that’s how the vote goes, so that speaks louder than any playing time I’ll ever get,” Altmyer said. “It speaks to the character and the heart, so very, very blessed to be in this position.”

With Altmyer leading the way last year, Illinois had its first 10-win season since 2001. Now, the pre-season expectations are higher than many Illini fans can remember.

Even though it may be easy to get caught up in pre-season rankings and predictions, Altmyer and the team’s leaders aren’t letting it get to their heads.

“Love the opportunity that’s in front of us as a team, and for us six captains, we’re not afraid of it,” Altmyer said. “We’ve been around, we’ve faced a lot of adversities and we’re not afraid of the new territory and going to get it.”