Illinois Football news: Quarterback Trey Petty Enters the Transfer Portal

With the new 14-day transfer window officially opening today (January 2), ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports that Illinois Football freshman quarterback Trey Petty has formally entered his name — and will step away from the program with 3 years of eligibility remaining, prior to the Illini’s bowl game.

Petty never logged a snap for the Illini during his two seasons on campus, despite arriving in Champaign as one of the more intriguing quarterback additions of Bret Bielema’s tenure. A consensus 3-star prospect and Mississippi’s Class 7A Mr. Football, Petty was viewed as a skilled developmental talent with high upside as the 51st-ranked QB in the class of 2024.  His departure now leaves Illinois even thinner in a quarterback room that was already highly in question entering the offseason.

With senior starter Luke Altmyer potentially headed for the NFL — and now Petty gone — finding a quarterback certainly becomes the Illini’s top offseason priority. Will they push for a seasoned veteran who can step in and start right away, or target a long-term developmental prospect to compete with developmental arms like Ethan Hampton and Carson Boyd?

Either way signals an offseason for Illinois Football that will ultimately be defined by a major overhaul at the most important position on the field.

Illinois QB Trey Petty intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal, per @APSportsAgency. He’s a former three-star recruit from Starkville, Miss., who was the 2023 Mississippi Class 7A Mr. Football. His offers included Georgia Tech, Indiana, Mississippi, and Mississippi State. pic.twitter.com/ZNC2WQX915

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 2, 2025

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