Illinois has named quarterback Tommy DeVito, a transfer from Syracuse, as its starter for this week’s opener against Wyoming.
DeVito competed with Art Sitkowski for the top job throughout the offseason after transferring in December. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound DeVito started 15 games during three seasons for Syracuse, passing for 3,478 yards and 27 touchdowns with 10 interceptions, and adding 128 rushing yards and three touchdowns. His best year came in 2019, when he passed for 19 touchdowns.
“Tommy has made a big jump from last spring to where we are, really his composure in the pocket, learning how we play the game,” coach Bret Bielema told reporters Thursday. “I’m not saying he’s Russell Wilson, but when we got Russell, the transition he had to go from the offense he ran to the offense we ran at Wisconsin, I see a lot of those same things with Tommy.”
Sitkowski started games for both Illinois last season and for Rutgers earlier in his career. He broke his left (non-throwing) arm during Illinois’ win at Penn State last season and underwent surgery, which kept him out for spring practice.
Illinois is implementing a new “tem-pro” offense this season with coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., who came in from UTSA, combining tempo and pro-style elements.
“They’re both good players, and they both have experience, but they both learn differently,” Lunney told ESPN of DeVito and Sitkowski. “Art’s more of a power guy, he’s big and strong, he can move around. Tommy’s a bit of the quicker, gunslinger mentality. They’re very different. There’s a pretty strong dichotomy there with who they are, but they both can function very well within the system.”