RANTOUL - A pro scout recently approached senior Brit Miller and couldn't resist making a comment about his fellow Illini linebacker, Martez Wilson.

"Jeez," the scout said. "He is sooooo pretty."

As athletes go, Wilson is a one-man beauty pageant, a physical specimen so perfectly assembled that even macho men who would never think to stare at another male do a double-take when Wilson strides by.

If a Greek sculptor were crafting the visage of the modern football warrior, he might carve from granite the precise likeness of Martez Wilson. He is somewhere between 6-foot-4 and 6-5 and carries about 250 pounds of chiseled muscle that clings to his arms, thick shoulders, rock-hard legs and rippled stomach without the hint of excess flesh.

He runs the 40-yard dash in about 4.4 seconds, which is a frightening proposition for a young man his size. And after being used as a situational defender last year, while coaches tried to channel his absurd athleticism, he becomes a key starter for the Illini defense this season.

"Martez can have a breakout year," co-defensive coordinator Dan Disch said. "We expect him to. It's his year to play great. He has played extremely hard, and his knowledge of the game is so much better than it was a year ago. That knowledge is what will allow him to play faster."

Turn him loose on an open field, and Wilson can run like a deer. He is an absolute terror rushing the quarterback from the edge, and if an offense fails to account for him, it's the quarterback who will pay.

But complex offenses can force a linebacker to make quick decisions. And if there is uncertainty about a decision, a linebacker's difference-making speed can be neutralized.

For Wilson, who becomes the starter at the weak-side linebacker position, the physical tools are all in place. Now it's a matter of playing with enough knowledge and confidence to let his natural speed take over.

"We pushed him hard in the spring," Disch said. "He is a guy with great ability and a phenomenal attitude. He wants to be good but he doesn't always know how to be good.

"We need him to play as fast as he can on every snap, and if he does that, he'll be a great player. At times, he doesn't always understand it, but he always wants to. It's just a matter of it becoming a habit."

Disch brought Wilson in to watch tape every day in the spring, showing him plays in which he ran without hesitation. Then he'd show him a play where indecision brought his fast feet to a halt.

"These guys aren't blind," Disch said. "They see. The good thing is, they all understand there is a certain speed we want them to play at."

Wilson said he has worked hard to increase his understanding of the defense, which should increase the number of plays in which he runs full-out.

"I've learned from my mistakes," he said. "It was a little rough at first, but in the spring game, I was mistake-free. Going into camp, my goal is to make very few mistakes. I know what I need to know. I'm never too nervous but I'm always excited."

When he beat out schools like Ohio State, Notre Dame, Southern Cal, Florida and Michigan for Wilson's commitment, Illini coach Ron Zook didn't promise the Chicago Simeon product easy treatment. On the contrary, Zook promised Wilson he would push him hard and get from him the maximum amount of performance possible.

"I like to be tested," Wilson said this week. "I expect to make plays. When the coach blitzes me, I plan to get to the quarterback as fast as possible. Coach expects a lot out of me because he knows I have the ability to make plays."

Zook said one reason Illinois improved from 2-10 in 2006 to 9-4 in 2007 is that players allowed coaches to coach them.

"The fact is, football is a hard game," Zook said. "You have to push people further than they think they can go … and we have to keep doing that."

Miller, who is rooming with Wilson, said while the coaches want Wilson to play at top speed, there are times when he actually needs to slow down.

"He is such an athlete that sometimes you have to slow down and process things for a split second," Miller said. "He moves so fast he can physically get himself out of position.

"But he is learning that already. He is already a much better linebacker than he's ever been. And he should be a big hitter. Sometimes it takes awhile before they become a connector and really learn to put their helmet into someone's chest."

Disch thinks Wilson could be a player offenses have to specifically discuss while formulating their game plans.

"I've been around a lot of kids, and he has all the tools," Disch said. "He can be as good as he wants to be. I like his work ethic. It's just a matter of getting some experience and confidence."

As the pro scouts can tell you, looking the role is not an issue.

Mark Tupper can be reached at mtupper@herald-review.com or 421-7983.