A CBS Sports writer is not buying Katin Houser as a top flight Big Ten QB ahead of the season.
The Illinois Fighting Illini football program has become a quarterback friendly one under the guidance of head coach Bret Bielema, who helped mold Luke Altmyer into one of the country's better quarterbacks during his time in Champaign, Ill.
The Fighting Illini went out and got former East Carolina QB Katin Houser this offseason, fresh off of an explosive passing season in Greenville, North Carolina.
The addition of Houser has riled up Fighting Illini fans throughout the state of Illinois and beyond in tandem with a receiving corps that looks like it could be one of the better units in the Big Ten.
Earlier this week, CBS Sports writer Brad Crawford revealed that he is not buying into the hype in his preseason Big Ten QB rankings, placing the Illini starter surprisingly low.
Oct 16, 2025; Greenville, North Carolina, USA; East Carolina Pirates quarterback Katin Houser (4) throws the ball against Tulsa Golden Hurricane linebacker Ray Coney (0) during the first half at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images Houser Ranked 14th by CBS Writer
Houser, fresh off of a 3,300-yard passing season, was placed 14th out of 18 starting quarterbacks in the Big Ten Conference by Brad Crawford.
Expectations for Houser are high after his gaudy statistical season in 2025, but Crawford refused to place him in the upper half of Big Ten QBs.
He was complimentary of Houser in his write-up, however, pointing to the wealth of experience the new Illini leader acquired with Michigan State and the Pirates.
"The ECU transfer has already handled the demands of leading a first-team unit at his previous spot and should bring immediate stability to the position," he wrote.
"Illinois does not need Houser to force the issue or carry the offense every week. If he protects the football, distributes efficiently and converts timely third downs, the Illini should remain competitive.
"His veteran presence could be especially valuable once the Big Ten schedule intensifies."
Illinois will have a chance to iron out the kinks in Week 1 against UAB, while a Big Ten matchup against Ohio State looms like a hulking monster in the background.
Is "Competitive" Enough for 2026 Fighting Illini?
Houser and the Fighting Illini now find themselves in an odd place between a 9-4 season and a season with a wild variation in expectations.
Bielema's team is being written off by pundits from the east coast to the west coast as they back more nationally recognized brands like the Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks, and the defending champion Indiana Hoosiers.
Illinois fans haven't seen a Big Ten title in over a decade, but the Fighting Illini have enough talent to make it a goal of theirs in 2026.
Houser gives fans hope for better days ahead.
An explosive passer who became poised and skilled beyond his years in Greenville, Houser could easily vault himself up the list of Big Ten quarterbacks by the time the year is said and done.
If he does, don't be surprised if 2026 is one of the best years of the Bielema regime yet, and one that sets the table for bigger and better things in the near future.
