Great things have been expected from Martez Wilson ever since he put on an Illini uniform — expectations he hasn’t quite been able to meet.

So even though Ron Zook wants to see more from the middle linebacker, the Illini football head coach doesn’t think Wilson has performed poorly since returning from a neck injury that kept him out for all except one game last season.

“I don’t think anything’s missing,” Zook said. “He’s been out of football for two years. He’s playing pretty well; he’s leading us in tackles, he was defensive player of the week for us this week.”

Wilson was able to take a medical redshirt last year and entered this season reinvigorated with the ambitious goals.

But it hasn’t been an easy transition back into the college game.

“It was (difficult), but at the same time, camp helped a lot because everything counts. It’s full speed every time,” Wilson said.

“I feel like I’ve done a lot, I feel like I’m improving every game. I always feel like there’s room for improvement,” added Wilson, who leads the Illini with 25 total tackles this season.

“I’ve seen him get better and better and more and more comfortable,” Zook said. “Not only has he been out of football for two years, but he’s learning a new system as well, so it’s kind of a double whammy.”

Dantonio hospitalized

Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio was released from the hospital Tuesday after suffering from a mild heart attack early Sunday morning.

The Spartans defeated Notre Dame 34-31 on a fake field goal that went for a touchdown on the day before Dantonio was hospitalized.

“I do know him, he’s a good guy, we’re similar ages, you just don’t know,” Zook said. “He bought a house on the lake this summer, we talked a lot about that. Hopefully he’s OK.

“All jobs have stress. Our jobs are just out there so everyone can see.”

Three day weekend

With no game this weekend, the Illini won’t practice Thursday or Friday as they normally would. They will practice on Sunday ­— normally an off day.

“We’ll take three days, so they can get some rest, get caught up in school, and get away from it a little bit,” Zook said. “Sunday we’ll get back into game week, so we’ll have an extra day for that one.”

Because of the off days, Zook said he pushed his team a little harder early in the week.

“Push them now because they’re going to get rest. They’re a little ahead of schedule, and the work that we had to get done, we got done.”