Quarterback Luke Altymyer has been the starter for Illinois football all season, aside from their recent victory against Indiana. Altmyer was sidelined with a concussion against the Hoosiers, leaving the signal-calling duties to backup John Paddock. The Fighting Illini's Paddock had the game of his life, throwing for 507 yards and four touchdowns.

He led Illinois to its fifth win of the season, showcasing the best offensive performance in a Fighting Illini uniform this season. Following the victory, head coach Bret Bielema was left in a difficult scenario. You could stick with the hot hand and keep Paddock in the lineup as the starter, or go back to your usual lineup with Altmyer leading the way.

“As of yesterday, Luke has been totally cleared to play. Because of that, he is our starting quarterback before he left and that's where I sort of see it now…. if there's any part of that that gets gray we have a guy that has proven he can play…,” said Bielema, per Matt Schick at ESPN.

Altmyer has been the definition of an average quarterback this season, posting 13 touchdowns on 1,883 yards and 10 interceptions. He's done just enough to squeeze in a couple of victories, but the consistency just isn't there. Despite his inability against superior opponents, Altmyer is still a relatively young quarterback and if Bielema thinks of him as the quarterback of the future, he needs to stick with him this season.

Paddock had a tremendous performance as the veteran who was able to produce when his name was called, but he should be viewed as security. Stick with your game plan, because any chess moves can be a gamble for the entire program.