After the last two games, everyone thought it was dead.

After two ugly quarters on Saturday, it was very much alive again.

The Illinois quarterback controversy is one that just doesn't seem to end. After two consecutive wins, junior Dustin Ward, the opening-game starter, looked to have the spot wrapped up for the remainder of the season.

Then came Saturday's game against Penn State.

The Champaign, Ill., native looked off his game in the first half. He completed just six of 15 passes for 54 yards, and threw an interception, missing badly on many of his attempts. In the first two quarters, the Illini produced just 97 yards of offense, and got into Penn State territory just once before being stopped at the 39-yard line.

So Ward was pulled after two drives in the third quarter and back from the dead came junior Jon Beutjer, the transfer from Iowa who started four games before Ward won the job back. And back from the dead came the Fighting Illini.

Beutjer, the former Illinois state player of the year, ignited the Illinois offense. In the fourth quarter, he led the Illini on a 73-yard scoring drive, which he finished with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kenny Boyle. Down just 18-7 despite the anemic first half, the Illini had a shot.

"We tried to get a spark, so we made the change," Illinois football coach Ron Turner said. "He did some good things, he played relaxed, and he gave us a spark."

Beutjer almost got the Illini to within a score of the Lions. After a three-and-out, he led them on a 70-yard drive to the Lions' 3-yard line before defensive back Anwar Phillips intercepted a tipped pass to put the game away.

Beutjer's performance forces the Illini to continue trying to answer a question they've been dealing with since last year's starter Kurt Kittner graduated. Turner said the coaching staff had not made a decision on whom will start Saturday.

The rag on Beutjer is that he isn't as consistent in practice as Ward, and doesn't know the offense as well. Beutjer doesn't think that perception is well-founded.

"I think I've had a good grasp of the offense all year," he said. "I think I was just going the wrong place with the ball, and that could be perceived as not knowing the offense. But I was just making mistakes, and everybody makes mistakes. I think I'm making progress."

Though his teammates said that both quarterbacks are capable of running the offense, they said that the two have different styles and fit different roles.

"Dustin has been the most consistent in practice," wide receiver Brandon Lloyd said. "I think maybe for now, Jon's role is to come in and provide that spark. He brings a lot of confidence to the huddle, and he's a playmaker."

Since putting up obscene numbers at Wheaton-Warrenville South H.S. in Wheaton, Ill., (60 touchdowns as a senior) Beutjer has had a roller-coaster college career. He started three games as a redshirt freshman at Iowa before transferring to Illinois and getting involved in his current situation. By now he knows not to get himself too wrapped up in it.

"I haven't even thought about it yet," Beutjer said. "Right now, I'm just thinking about this loss and how bad it hurts."