Illinois junior wide receiver Kendrick Jones flew past the Wisconsin secondary. Nothing was between him and the end zone. Illinois senior quarterback Jon Beutjer cocked back and heaved the ball down the field.

Jones dove into the end zone, but the football floated by.

The Illini missed an opportunity to score.

Illinois missed opportunities again and again Saturday in a 24-7 loss to Wisconsin. And the key culprit was Beutjer, who played himself to the bench – possibly for the season.

“I have no idea,” said Illinois head coach Ron Turner when asked if he will start Beutjer next week. “We’ll look at it and evaluate the situation and see where we are.”

Illinois needed one play to get the team going Saturday. Just one play. Wisconsin, with their plodding, drive-it-down-your-throat style, built a lead. But it wasn’t insurmountable.

One deep pass to Jones. One 50-yard run by sophomore running back E.B. Halsey. One interception. Any of these things could have put Illinois right into the game.

Is one play too much to ask?

Illinois got nothing. Well, what the Illini got is a new quarterback controversy.

Beutjer – pulled in the third quarter – looked like a freshman on the road in a conference game. Not a sixth-year senior.

Beutjer couldn’t put the ball near his receivers on deep routes. He looked lost. He played like a college senior citizen.

Watching Beutjer Saturday was like watching an aging athlete trying to hang on past their prime. Michael Jordan playing in Washington. Emmitt Smith playing in Arizona.

In college you’re not supposed to see aging athletes. Twenty-something kids are still in the prime of their lives.

Or so the theory goes.

In spring practice and during the first few weeks of Camp Rantoul, Beutjer had everything figured out. He put every ball where it needed to be. He consistently connected on the deep pass. Beutjer had his sights on throwing the ball all over the Big Ten. Just like Purdue senior quarterback Kyle Orton has.

Now his sight is on keeping his starting job.

Beutjer’s slide began against UCLA. While he completed 12-of-22 passes for 146 yards, he was far from sharp. He may have thrown for three touchdowns against Purdue, but he did not build on it Saturday.

So far this year, Beutjer has been inconsistent – the kiss of death for a quarterback.

Turner is just looking for a quarterback to make plays. It can be Beutjer. It can be Brad Bower. It can be Chris Pazan. It could be some drunken undergrad out of Block I.

It doesn’t matter as long as the chains keep moving and the points pile up.

Beutjer looked shocked and offended when the media brought up the issue that he is not penciled in as the starter for the Michigan State game.

“I always expect to be the guy,” Beutjer said. “I feel like I am the best quarterback. I made mistakes out there today, which are definitely correctable, but I need to start making those plays.”

So go out and do it. Beutjer, if you feel you’re the best quarterback, show us.

Beutjer should be given one more chance to start. Let him prove one way or the other if he deserves to be on the field.

Give him the most reps in practice this week. If he gets things done in practice, let him get under center on Saturday.

If he can’t handle things in practice – or in East Lansing, Mich. – give one of the kids a shot. Bower looks like he may have the makings of a special quarterback. Give him the first shot and see if he can pan out.

Really, being special isn’t all that special. All it requires is to hit an open Jones in the end zone.

Bobby La Gesse is a senior in communications. He can be reached at [email protected].