IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Jon Beutjer's injury removed a major topic from any conversation about Saturday's Illinois-Iowa football game.

Beutjer transferred from Iowa to Illinois in 2001 and eventually became the Illini's starting quarterback. He would have faced his former team for the first time on Saturday but has been sidelined for the rest of the season by a back injury.

His name was brought up only once in Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz's news conference on Tuesday and Ferentz's answer indicated he didn't want to say much on the matter. He was asked what kind of emotion he felt not facing Beutjer.

"I don't have any emotion at all," Ferentz replied. "We play whoever shows up, whatever team shows up. Whatever player shows up, we go from there."

Beutjer left Iowa after a fight with teammate Sam Aiello, who was living with Beutjer at the time. He said he sustained a concussion when Aiello knocked him to the ground and was unhappy with how Ferentz handled the situation.

Aiello will start at right offensive tackle in Saturday's game.

Originally published Wednesday, October 29, 2003