This football season, the Illini will have a new face under the center in Katin Houser. The Anaheim, California native comes to Illinois by way of East Carolina via Michigan State. At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, he has good size for a Big Ten quarterback. He is good in the pocket with a real ability to scramble and move or run off the option.
Trending upward
Houser had some struggles in East Lansing, playing 13 games over two years (he started in seven as a redshirt-freshman), posting a 58.5% completion
rate (113 completions in 193 attempts), six touchdowns, and five interceptions.
After leaving Michigan State, Houser has grown and developed in his two years at East Carolina, putting up impressive stats: 5,306 yards, a 64% completion rate, 37 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. Last season was his “breakout year”: 3,300 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and only six interceptions (down from 11 interceptions the year before). In terms of his ability to run, he ran for 193 yards on 85 carries for nine touchdowns and a passer rating of 146.3.
As a comparison, last season Luke Altmyer’s numbers were 246-365 (67.4%) for 3,007 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only six interceptions, all of which gave him a passer rating of 153.8. He added 100 carries for 249 yards and five touchdowns.
Houser was named to the Manning Award watch list in 2024 and the Preseason Manning Award watch list in 2025
Experience and Leadership
As a redshirt-senior, Houser has gained plenty of experience, and having previously played in the Big Ten is a plus. He possesses a high football IQ and experience, which will be invaluable in a quarterback room that has two redshirt freshmen and one true freshman. Houser is also a winner with a 15-7 record at East Carolina, 14-6 as a starter. Also, his experience of going from starter to back-up to starter shows his grit and determination, which the younger guys like Carson Boyd, Michael Clayton, and Jershaun Newton can draw on.
Fit in Illinois’ Offense
It gives the Illini a seasoned starter, with the physical capabilities of size, strong arm (the ability to throw downfield), and the ability to run. He is the type of QB that would work well in a Barry Lunney offense. Then factor in his Field awareness, game management, and football IQ. As mentioned earlier, the younger QBs in the program will benefit from learning what he knows.
Is there a downside?
The biggest issue will be blending with this summer team. Unlike Altmyer, Houser only has this season, and both the offensive line and receiving corps lack experience in the system. While Houser has good numbers, they do come from the AAC. This is not a knock on the AAC, but the Big Ten is a different league!
The Receivers
The Illini will have two of their top three wide-outs from last season returning in Hudson Clement (36 catches, 454 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Collin Dixon (35 catches, 548 yards, 5 touchdowns). Two transfers they will be counting on are Alex Perry from FIU, with 56 catches for 840 yards and 9 TDs. And Jayshon Platt from FAU had 46 receptions for 720 yards and five TDs. This will give Houser some experienced receivers to work with. After that, they will depend on four transfers and seven underclassmen, including five freshmen.
In the tight end room, there are no TEs with significant game experience at Illinois. However, they do have a commitment from Eddie Kaspar from Illinois State, and Kaden Feagin will be switching to tight end. Last season, out of the backfield, Feagin caught 16 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns.
The O-Line
The O-Line will be revamped as well, with only one returning starter, senior Brandon Henderson. There is some depth from last year, but there is a lack of experience. In the last three seasons, the Illini line has allowed 30+ sacks per year. Now Bret Bielema and company have used the transfer portal to bring in Center Jake Renfro, RS Sr (Wisconsin), and OT Christian Martin, RS Jr. (Colorado State), who are expected to step into the Center and Left Tackle, respectively. They are counting on Nathan Knapik, RS Sophomore OT, and Brandon Hansen, JR IOL, to step up. It may take the preseason to get this unit pulled together,
The Illini will have a solid running game with JR Ca’Lil Valentine, 131 carries, 638 yards, and four touchdowns, and SR Aidan Laughery, 75 attempts, 400 yards, with three touchdowns. With Feagin moving to TE, the numbers should increase for both, and they should provide a good complement to Houser and the passing game.
All in all, Houser is stepping into a situation with the Illini that has a nice upside, and he has the tools to take advantage of it. Given that this is not his first transfer, the process of acclimating to new teammates should be easier. Offensive Coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. will have some adjustments that will meld well with Houser’s physical and mental talents. Sept. 5 is just a little over 4 months away!
