EIU postgame: Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer

it's Luke how how'd that feel out there and what do you feel like you guys showed passing the ball yeah it was fun fun to get back out there always fun to be out there week one uh be out there you know we practice in the stadium a lot with no fans and to be out be out there against an opponent uh with the students out there was was really really cool to be out there with your brothers who you've been training with since January and um you know a team that has you know I think a chip on their shoulder um excited to put you know some things on display but obviously did some good things but a lot to clean up as well some details uh you know early in the game and you know some things go on you know but overall had had a lot of fun what' you think of the way you guys threw the ball around uh I mean I felt confident out there you know I thought I saw saw everything well and um came off my hand pretty well and you know I feel like the details of the route details the receivers they were you know they were on their p's and q's so um looking forward to just growing from you know week one into week two and um excited to get back to work and um you know display some some other things too so looking forward to itk 10 or 11 different guys caught at least one pass I mean did you feel like that's something this team can do maybe consistently yeah I mean I'm not surprised by that at all I mean I think you know through all of my media sessions you know I've talked about so many different receivers that are going to make their mark and um you know each one of them and I have so much confidence in because of what they've shown um you know throughout the winter spring summer fall and um you know when they get the ball in their hand they each can do you know something different so well so um so glad all those guys are on you know our team and um you know you know excited to to keep growing those connections look after the way the Kansas game went a year ago you Happ you see on the schedule this year absolutely it's always good to have a rematch game whether you come off a win or a loss of it so um you know some familiar faces on that side and you know kind of you know got a bad taste in our mouth um you know from last year so looking forward to you know next Saturday to be able to go put some things on this play and to to go light it up did you get a taste of them during the camp did you get a taste of them during camp time yeah you know I think through you know whatever team like throughout the country you know you kind of um you know later and Camp you kind of game plan for some looks that you'll see in the season so um you know obviously prepare for Easter and Illinois looks and Kansas looks and things like that so um been thinking about him for a long time didn't look past Eastern Illinois at all but um you know that's always been the back back of our mind and excited to to go uh to go play next Saturday have the uh coach to player communication system you know was that pretty smooth it was good I was a little bit nervous going into it because you know through the scrimmages um you know you know the the emotions are still there and scrimmages too and sometimes um you know in the Huddle the longer play calls sometimes you forget them and I was worried about going into it especially with all the environment and fans um you know for getting some of the longer play calls in the Huddle but um it was really clean really confident with it it went out a couple times I think on the long touchdown to Malik it went out and so I had to look at the signal but um it was fun I loved it it was really cool you talking have an explosive off explosive offense what do you think about Brian and lelie today uh I thought they did great you know it was super cool to see Pat get in the end zone twice kids work so hard and obviously our team captain so for him to be in the in the zone twice is no surprise to anybody and you know looking forward to you know getting him the ball a lot more and you know to see Malik um you know catch a long one too even before that too making a couple guys miss and um creating an explosive was really cool to see I know it's going to help his confidence and only going to help him moving forward um and so but even some other guys like Sakari you know the ball didn't find him as much you know tonight but you know throughout the game I was like you got the next one for sure after coming off a scoring series and you know that's just you know sometimes the way things shake out and it wasn't because he wasn't open or you know things like that it's just you know some of the schemes were um designed and you know specific moments to go you know a certain place so um looking forward to all those guys you know doing some cool things this year a year ago how much more comfortable do you feel compared to a year ago today yeah I just think I'm mentally and you know spiritually in in a new place you know my confidence is so set and you know I'm realizing and becoming so so aware of the gifts and talents that God has given me and you know ultimately you know while I'm out there you know I just want to thank him with you know my play and how hard I play and you know my leadership so um you know my vision and my perspective is a little bit different this year a lot different and I'm looking forward to you know keep playing with that same perspective and forward I know Barry has put you and and Cy in a lot of responsibility roles this year how did the communication you feel like really good for week one execution you know in a game day environment I thought it was um nearly I I mean I can't think of any issues really so um there were some checks to be made and things like that and uh you know that's that's new to us this year with you know him checking things and me checking things and um there wasn't an issue really at all as I can think of you know we'll go back and watch it and see but um you know it's it's good to hear his voice you know I'm asking him a lot of what he sees and and he's asking me a lot vice versa so um he's great up there you know the way he communicates the way he leads those guys his his football knowledge is you know off the chart so uh to have him up there is you know incredible to say the least did you think Z blocked for you particularly well tonight yes sir he's uh I wor this for the walk and um you know I want to I want to do something that that really highlights those guys up front and so each week you you'll see somebody new but I went was ey uh you know first Mississippi guy uh you know we're super close so tight and um I love that dude to death and you know so glad to be out there playing with him and you know I know he's excited just to go play you know his last his last ride I think so um had a lot of fun with him out there L what's that do for you as a quarterback when you have a number of receiving options and then like at the second part of that when you relied so heavily on three guys a year ago like what was your process of building trust with those guys throughout the off season to kind of do what you did today yeah I think one is just you know whoever's out there they're only be fresh you know we're not going to you know tax a guy you know throughout a drive cuz we can just bring somebody else in who does something so well so something so different to to to attack a defense so it gives me confidence knowing that you know those guys are going to be fresh and know their details and um you know be right you know mentally to be able to execute um it was so cool to see some guys like Colin Dixon and canari out there and Hank and um like I said Malik Ashton made a big explosive play it's like you can just list them off and um you know I think for their confidence to be able to do some things tonight um is only going to shoot through the roof and I know they're excited for Saturday what can this passing offense be I think like I said explosive you know you know with my new perspective my new confidence that I feel like I have and guys returning Like Pat and you know some vets like zakari who's done it for so long and like I said just our death in general I think you know we have every every right every opportunity to go to go really do some really cool things like I've said and um you know it starts with me and and up front and stuff like that you know the utmost confidence in you know all 11 of us out there tonight how big is that for him just to it was so cool um you know um to see him out there I was so excited to watch him go out there I remember my first snap ever in college football my first completion and that's something you never forget and I know he'll um he'll cherish those moments forever and he I mean frankly he did he he did really really really well and um I know if something were to happen he were to go in he would you know take this offense and run with it you know he's prepared throughout the last 3 or four years three years and um we we have a really tight relationship and love that dude death been so excited for him P just said you're trusting him to go up and get it more this Seasons like how what's that look like for you and and what why do you have that trust in him yeah think I have so much trust in him because the confidence that he brings Tor building every single day like you know I don't think there's a a defensive back a corner that he he would line up against and you know feel a certain type of way about he he knows he can go win against anybody and so with me knowing that you know I know he's going to be detailed in everything he does and you know like tonight he went up and got one so that only helps my confidence even more with with him and um you know like I said he's a captain so and rightfully so so um he's going to he's going to be a big role in you know what we do moving forward and really excited for him he mentioned thatas that add much to this game coming up another layer of things to think about no I don't think so at all you know they're going to run out there with 11 guys we're going to run out there with 11 guys and it'll be a it'll be a big game but um just excited to go you know kind of just focus on us I think more than anything and if you know we execute our details and techniques and alignments assignments you know we'll be in a good spot to go do what we want to do me you mentioned the mental and spiritual progress to see that like yield results right away in week one I mean how excited exciting is that and looking ahead the whole season yeah week one you know there's always some nerves and you know some you know some different different anxieties you know there's a little voice you know back in the back of your mind you know trying to tell you tell you lies the enemy and um you know I was so equipped going into this week with the tools that I've learned and um the tools I've been um you know learning just um throughout the off season to to go out there on the field whether it was a high moment a low moment man I was going to be even out there because I know who my Creator is I know the gifts that he's given me and um you know I know he's what he's called me to do so um looking forward to you know the the next 11 weeks of of play to to go keep putting that on display