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Wednesday, August 6, 2008 12:35 AM CDT

Quickly turning heads: Soph Wilson finally harnessing speed

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.''

Herald & Review | Sports: Quickly turning heads: Soph Wilson finally harnessing speed