The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 23

The Indianapolis Star WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1991 Sports B-5 Deion decides to double up, at same time By ROBERT BYRD ASSOCIATED PRESS Atlanta Bo knows baseball, football and rehab. Delon had better know airline schedules. In this weird and wondrous season for the Atlanta Braves, the weirdest news yet came Tuesday: Delon Sanders, who left the team eight weeks ago to "We've got a big game coming up against an undefeated division rival (New Orleans)." "I was excited," Sanders said as he was reunited with his baseball teammates. "They were excited. My face lit up like a Christmas tree when they saw me and accepted me." Sanders said he had not talked to Falcons coach Jerry Glanvllle.

"but I probably will tomorrow at practice." He said he does not expect to be fined by the Falcons. Sanders will play for the Falcons Sunday when they host New Orleans. The Falcons are off the following weekend when the Braves close the regular season a coincidence that apparently spawned the deal. Sanders will be paid on a pro-rated basis based on his $150,000 salary for the final two weeks. Schuerholz said.

therein lies the reason for all this. With Otis Nixon, the major leagues' stolen base leader, suspended for a drug violation, the Braves need all the speed they can get. Schuerholz, at a news conference before Tuesday's game, said Sanders would be in uniform for nine of the Braves' final 1 2 games. He said Sanders would miss this weekend's three-game series in Houston. "We had talked with other clubs, trying to acquire a speed guy," Schuerholz said.

"We decided if Deion wanted to do It, as he said he did, we'd go ahead and give him the opportunity." Falcons president Taylor Smith also issued a statement. "We Just hope he doesn't get hurt and we want him to keep focused on football." Smith said. hour span. Sanders, from all indications, plans to do just that this weekend: running back punts for the Falcons in Atlanta Sunday afternoon: running over travelers at Hartsfield airport In Atlanta Sunday night; and then running the bases for the Braves in Cincinnati Monday night. Even as the Braves try to vault from worst to first, this Is weird.

How much all this will eventually trouble the Los Angeles Dodgers who enjoyed a ll2-game lead when the Braves summoned Sanders Tuesday remains to be seen. After all, it's not as if Braves general manager John Schuerholz found a 28-year-old Henry Aaron hanging around and got him a uniform. Sanders hit Just .193 in his 49 games with Atlanta this season, with four homers and 13 runs batted in. But he was 9 for 12 stealing bases, and resume his NFL career, will play 1 i xi uuni spuria ior ine aurauon 01 the NL West pennant race. Bo Jackson, of course, became the most successful two-sport athlete of his generation with the Kansas Oitv rival a ill and the Los Angeles Raiders.

Sanders But Jackson never played two sports in a 36- i wmA rv "4 fr.f if 11 1 A i at. 4 yJ lS i. MS i I i Shuffling continues for Colts Five roster moves leave 1 spot open By JOHN BANSCH STAR STAFF WRITER The Indianapolis Colts continued to shuffle their roster Tuesday. Defensive back Cornell Holloway has returned, nose tackle Frank Glannetti is gone and tight end Mike Tltley has Joined the developmental squad. In two other moves, the Colts placed tight end Kerry Cash (broken ankle) on injured reserve and wide receiver Eddie Britton (knee) on the developmental squad injured list.

The transactions leave one opening on the 47-man roster. It may be filled later in the week. The news from the training room was good and bad. Center Mark Cannon, signed last week to snap on punts and place kicks, is recovering from back spasms and may be available Sunday at Seattle. Offensive tackle Irv Pankey's injured Achilles' tendon remains sore and it is doubtful he will evert dress.

Holloway, who played In the opener against New England this season before being waived as well as in 15 games last year, was brought back because of Injuries suffered Sunday by Chris Goode and Keith Taylor. Goode (neck sprain) and Tayr lor (bruised heel) are expected to be available Sunday, but Coach Ron Meyer wants to make certain he has enough healthy bodies in the secondary. "We use so many nickel packages that we need to go Into a game with at least seven healthy backs," said Meyer, who often employs six backs at a time. "As far as I know, Goode and Taylor should be all right, but I want to have enough players." Glannetti. a lOth-round draft choice waived In training camp and resigned to the development squad, was activated for the Miami game and started because of Travis Davis' foot injury.

Meyer See COLTS Page 9 tyH s'. T-' n's STAR STAFF PHOTO ROB GOEBEL Coach Bill Mallory says he is encouraged with the progress of DB Damon Watts (42) and the entire Indiana defense in their new 4-3 alignment. IU's new 4B improving with each outing scheme for the 4-3 this season. Instead of only if you're not leaving holes of your own for an opponent to exploit. Indiana has made 15 tackles for losses including four quarterback sacks in its first two games.

It is slightly ahead of last season's pace In both categories. "Every time you blitz, you open something up underneath," admitted Farrall. "You know what you have to do: Throw him down before he throws the ball. That's the fun. "Look at last weekend; it was 0-0 going into the fourth quarter.

We loved that. We'll take that kind of game any time because we know our offense is going to come through. That's our kind of football." See DEFENSE Page 6 'T Instead of watching and reacting to what the offense does, we're more in control. We attack and get after it and that's what you want to do on defense." Greg Farrall IU defensive end By PHIL RICHARDS STAR STAFF WRITER Bloomington, Ind. Through two games, Indiana University's restructured defense has yet to play perfect football.

Come Saturday at Missouri, it shouldn't need to. Quarterback Phil Johnson is passing for 297 yards a game but the Tigers (1-1) have been running in place. Their ground game has averaged 2.3 yards a snap. That's 69.5 yards a Saturday. Missouri rushed 27 times for 30 yards in a 47-21 loss at Baylor last week.

Indiana (1-1) will arrive at Faurot Field (1 p.m.. WFXF-1430 AM) with a defense expected to perform better than last week but not as good as next. Defense is a whole new ballgame for the Hoosiers. They abandoned their 5-2 three down linemen, two outside and two inside linebackers, they are going with four down linemen and three linebackers. There are some bugs to work out, but no one is looking back.

"Instead of watching and reacting to what the offense does, we're more in control. We attack and get after It and that's what you want to do on defense," said end Greg Farrall. "It lets the front four go and shoot the gaps and get upfield and it allows the linebackers to stunt and blitz more," said outside linebacker Mark Hagen. "It's more fun; you play with reckless abandon." It's also a dicey business. Shooting gaps and blitzing linebackers is effective QBs in Purdue-ND spotlight Colletto likes versatile Hunter, but eager to play Pike from former coach Fred Akers' run-and-shoot offense to the I-formation Colletto has installed.

The 6-4 Junior has connected on 14 of 38 passes for 224 yards and three interceptions for the 1-1 Boilermakers. Colletto admits he hopes the competition will help spark Hunter. "I think you always play better if you think someone sitting See PIKE Page 6 pens to Eric or he's having a tough time, Matt's the guy who can get It done." said Colletto. whose Boilermakers host No. 8 Notre Dame Saturday (1 p.m., WNDE-1260 AM).

"We ought to go with the next-best guy regardless and quit worrying about five years down the road." Hunter, who led the Big Ten in total offense per game last season (235.5 yards), has encountered problems adjusting By MARK AMBROGI STAR STAFF WRITER West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue coach Jim Colletto has decided the future is now. All along, Colletto said his desire was to redshirt highly touted freshman quarterback Matt Pike, from Huntington North. Tuesday, he announced an about-face, saying Pike will serve as Eric Hunter's backup. "We feel if something hap Impressive statistics make it difficult for Mirer to hide from Heisman hype SCORES AMERICAN LEAGUE Detroit 7 Cleveland 2 Minnesota 9 Chicago 2 Milwaukee 5 New York 4 Toronto 3 California 0 Kansas City 5 Oakland 4 Boston at Baltimore.

rain Texas at Seattle NATIONAL LEAGUE Philadelphia 4 Chicago Pittsburgh 10 New York 8 St. Louis 4 Montreal 3 San Francisco 9 Houston 7 Los Angeles 5 San Dieoo 2 Cincinnati at Atlanta, rain STAR PHOTO RON McQUEENEY both a school and an individual is given to the outstanding college football player In the country after each season. The Heisman is worth plenty In publicity and recruiting. The Irish know. They've had seven winners and in three of the last four years they have had candidates.

In 1987, Tim Brown won: in '89 Tony Rice was fourth and Rocket Ismail 10th; last season, Ismail finished second. Now three games Into the See MIRER Page 6 By DAVID BENNER STAR STAFF WRITER South Bend, Ind. If a college has a Heisman Trophy candidate, the world Is sure to know. Week after week after week during football season, the paper barrage about Heisman hopefuls probably wipes out a few forests. But not around here.

Tuesday afternoon, the 'H' word came up at Notre Dame. Both Coach Lou Holtz and Rick Mirer winced at its mention. The prestigious honor for NASCAR at Indy? This was an unusual sight Tuesday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: A NASCAR stock car circling the 212-mile oval. It was driven by four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt and IMS president Tony George.

A preview of things to come, perhaps? Actually, Foyt was filming a commercial for Sears tools in his Copenhagen Oldsmobile..