WEST LAFAYETTE – This was not one of the patented Brandon Peters performances he made commonplace during his high school career at Avon.
The kid who threw for over 6,000 yards with the Orioles — earning IndyStar Mr. Football as a senior — completed just three passes for 26 yards Saturday, but the smile on his face after Illinois' 24-6 win over Purdue told the whole story.
Peters is having fun playing football again.
The 6-5, 220-pound junior has had a roller coaster of a career since graduating from Avon in 2015. He went from Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh's first quarterback recruit, the hand-picked leader of the Wolverine's return to greatness, to injured, to benched, to ultimately searching for a new school to continue his career.
Now Peters has found a home with the Illini, and he's cherishing every moment spent on the field competing.
"Last year was tough," Peters said. "Being on the sidelines, not really getting a chance to play. I'm just happy to be playing football and helping the team win games."
Saturday's win brings the Illini to 4-4, the high-water mark for a Lovie Smith coached team at this point in the season. Last week, the Illini reached the pinnacle of the Smith era knocking off then-No. 6 Wisconsin with a last-second field goal for a 24-23 win.
The key for Peters and company coming off the emotional win was to avoid a letdown against a struggling Purdue side. Peters isn't the type for an impassioned pregame speech or rah-rah hysterics on the sideline. His even-keeled demeanor was exactly what the Illini needed to take care of business and earn a conference win on the road.
"His gives us kind of a quiet confidence that we know that we're going to execute when he's in," running back Dre Brown said. "It's just kind of comforting knowing that he knows the whole playbook inside and out and he'll put us in the right play when we need it. Brandon, he's been awesome."
Making the right play was key during a rain-soaked game that made field conditions less than ideal for receivers looking to make quick cuts in and out of breaks. Peters' arm wasn't needed against the Boilermakers, but he consistently made plays with his legs, reading the defensive end and handing off when necessary, or keeping the ball and picking up positive yards.
Peters finished with 17 yards on 12 carries, including a one-yard QB sneak for a second-quarter touchdown.
"With Brandon, if you said describe him, people aren't going to say he's a running quarterback," Smith said. "But that's when you can sneak up on people. He's an athlete. When he needs to pull it and run it he can move the chains that way and of course when he needs to pass it.
"It's just smart ball by him. We protected the football. Brandon makes great decisions. And it's nice that he got a chance to come back home."
Peters downplayed the significance of getting a win in his home state. He did say, however, the Oct. 12 game against the Wolverines was one he would've loved to play in. After dealing with concussions during his time in Ann Arbor, a concussion suffered against Minnesota forced him to miss the Illinois' game against Michigan the following week.
Peters returned to the lineup and promptly earned one of the biggest wins in program history against the Badgers. He may not be flashy, but it's clear Peters has the respect of his teammates and coaches as they fight for bowl eligibility with four games left on the schedule.
"That win last week gave us a lot of confidence, but coach Lovie preached to us on the practice field on Monday — 'you've gotta let this win go and prove to people that that wasn't a fluke," Peters said. "We just have a lot of confidence. It's a good vibe right now."
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October 27, 2019 at 04:28AM
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Former IndyStar Mr. football Brandon Peters healthy and happy to be playing QB at Illinois - IndyStar
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