Red-hot 'O' but tepid 'D'

Based on what Illinois showed during its third annual trip to the Chicago area, the Illini are who we think they are.

Ron Zook's squad showed a bunch of signs that it's going to have an explosive offense -- and that it will need to score early and often to cover the flaws of an unproven, unimposing defense.

''As far as it goes, the offense won today,'' star receiver Arrelious Benn said Saturday after Illinois rewarded an estimated 2,500 fans who ventured out to Oak Park-River Forest High School with an impressive offensive display.

With the warning ''as far as it goes,'' Benn, a junior who's likely to turn pro in a year, signalled that Illinois knows a gaudy offense during spring practice won't mean much in the fall unless the defense can hold up its end of the deal.

''I don't ever want to say that one side's going to handle the other side,'' Zook said. ''But we have some guys that can make plays. And good playmakers have a tendency to make defensive guys look funny sometimes.''

Juice Williams completed 13 of 20 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown, and backups Eddie McGee (5-for-10 for 51 yards) and Jacob Charest (4-for-7 for 41) also moved the ball.

FAYSON, BENN IMPRESS

Junior receiver Jarred Fayson, the transfer from Florida, did nothing to dispel the idea that he and Benn are going to lead Illinois' aerial antics. Fayson had five catches for 60 yards, while Benn caught three balls for 38 yards and rushed six times for 25 yards.

Even the running game, which underachieved last year, showed signs it intends to be improved. Credit that to sophomore ball carriers Jason Ford and Mikel Leshoure. Both have dropped 10 to 15 pounds and are about 220 pounds. And both have learned from their freshman mistakes.

''Stronger, faster, quicker, losing weight,'' Ford when asked to describe how he's changed in his first year in Champaign. ''I lost a lot of body fat. And last year, I was thinking too much. Having gone through a season here, that's taught me to calm down and read the plays like I know I can.''

Leshoure ran for 123 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns. Ford gained 58 yards on 10 carries.

The two sophomores showed that senior Daniel Dufrene could face a stern challenge to keep the starting tailback job. Dufrene, who has been slowed by a hamstring this spring, ran for 21 yards on six carries Saturday.

Defense is another story.

MARTEZ IN THE MIDDLE

Junior Martez Wilson seems to be settling in at middle linebacker, in part because Illinois doesn't have a true middle linebacker.

''It surprised me,'' the former Simeon standout said. ''I thought they were going to keep me outside, because I'm more of an outside linebacker. I like to blitz a lot. But I'm willing to do anything to help the team. I like [the middle] a lot. I think I'm going to make a lot of plays there.''

Zook insists that Wilson, who finished 12th in the Big Ten with 6.6 tackles last season, took more heat than he should have when Illinois struggled to a disappointing 5-7 record.

That's one reason he likes Wilson in the middle. The biggest reason, though, might be that Wilson makes the most sense because Illinois doesn't have a lot of obvious successors to Brit Miller and J Leman, who have led the league in tackles the last two years.

''Martez is an athletic guy,'' Zook said. ''And with the offenses we're seeing, a lot of spread stuff, the guy in the middle is not necessarily a true Mike linebacker. He has to be able to run and cover. I saw him make some plays today. That's what you like about a big guy that can run.''

In a way, Wilson kind of sums up a defense that has plenty of athletic ability, but is short on experience. If the defense can learn on the run, the Illini will have a chance to surprise. If not, all that scoring won't get Illinois where it wants to go.

Photo: Tom Cruze, Sun-Times / Martez Wilson (above, right) spars during Illinois' scrimmage Saturday. ; Photo: Tom Cruze, Sun-Times / Coach Ron Zook (below) says today's offenses make it necessary to have a middle linebacker like Wilson who can run and cover. ;