Illinois squeezed a lot of production out of J Leman and Brit Miller, the team’s middle linebackers in 2007 and ‘08. Miller’s 132 tackles led the Big Ten last season and Leman finished third in his huge senior season.

But expectations for Martez Wilson will be even bigger this season. After two somewhat disappointing campaigns, he takes over the MLB spot as a junior. Coach Ron Zook realizes Wilson is running out of excuses.

“If you go back and look at J and Brit, it was their junior year before they came on and had the kind of year that we were all expecting,” he said. “Maybe one of the things that hurt (Wilson) a little bit in the beginning was the expectations were so high, and he wasn’t quite ready to play to those expectations.”

Wilson is considered one of Zook’s biggest recruiting victories at Illinois. And while he has played extensively, he clearly struggled in his first two seasons. But his potential is considered vast. So much that he was named a fourth-team preseason All-American by Phil Steele’s college preview magazine.

“He had a great spring,” Zook said. “I think he understands the position much, much better. … When he knows what to do, he’s as good as I’ve been around.”