The Kokomo Tribune from Kokomo, Indiana • Page 10

B2 THURSDAY, SEPT. 9 1999 SPORTS KOKOMO TRIBUNE back where he started One time Colts' No. 1 pick is finally wearing blue. By JEFF CARROLL Thomson Indiana INDIANAPOLIS When the Colts begin the 1999 campaign Sunday against Buffalo, the career of linebacker Cornelius Bennett will have come full circle. Bennett was the key to the famous deal that sent Eric Dickerson to the Colts 12 years ago, after Bennett refused to sign after being Indianapolis' first- round pick that year.

He landed with the Bills in the three- team deal, becoming a main ingredient in the defense that went to four straight Super Bowls. "It's going to be a little strange, after nine years and four Super Bowls with Buffalo," Bennett said. THOMSON COLTS COVER "Coming in, they always booed every time my name was called, which was a lot "I always heard them. It's a badge of honor really that they remember me and boo. It will be fun for those fans to have their fun and cheer for me now." Bennett spent the last three seasons in Atlanta, signing with the Falcons as an unrestricted free agent after the 1995 season.

His production fell off last year, to 45 tackles and one sack, and the defending NFC Champions terminated his contract. Now entering his 13th NFL season, the irony of facing his old team in his first game for the Colts is not lost on Bennett Even now, however, his ties to Buffalo strong. Bennett remains friends with many of the players who helped him hoist the AFC Championship trophy a record four times. He recalled those days after Wednesday's practice. are After being drafted by the Colts in 1987, Cornelius Bennett signed with Buffalo and played there nine seasons before playing the last three in Atlanta.

(KT photo by Tim Bath) "I'm looking forward to seeing Bruce and Thurman and some of those guys who are still left from that time," Bennett said. "Of course, we're friends for life. It's blood. On Sunday, we'll shake hands before and after. Once the game's going on we're enemies." AFC East loaded The consensus opinion around football is that the AFC East will be the league's strongest division this season.

The Colts were the lone team in the division not to make the playoffs a year ago. Although the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins have been getting the lion's share of attention in the preseason, Colts coach Jim Mora warned that the Bills will be a formidable opponent, as well. As will, he added, his own Colts. "Buffalo's one of the better teams in the league," Mora said. "I believe they're a better team than they were last year.

And we're also better than we were, so we'll see what happens on Sunday," Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning said the Bills, 10-6 a year ago, are more dangerous than people think. "People are talking about the Jets and Miami," Manning said. "But Buffalo's strong." Flutie to lead Bills The Bills were 10-6 a year agrj but 9-3 after the Little Quarterback Who Could took over the starting position, Rob Johnson was injured against the Colts on the third play of the season's sixth week. That paved the way for Doug Flutie to become a national folk hero. The Flutie-led Bills defeated the Coifs twice, racking up 65 points in the two victories.

All eyes will be on the scrambling former Heisman Trophy winner come Sunday. "He's going to do what he's going to do," Mora said. "You have to be smart You can't let him get a lot of running lanes. When he goes back there and all of a sudden he sees an opening, he's going to go. "He can bide time and run around back there and stay active and just stay ready to throw the football, too." A passing grade for college football this weekend By RICHARD ROSENBLATT AP Football Writer Want plenty of passing? Then sit back this weekend and watch.

When No. 10 Georgia Tech plays at No. 1 Florida State on Tech's Joe Hamilton and tjie Seminoles' Chris -Weinke should be heaving footballs all -over Doak Campbell Stadium. And drop in on No. 16 Notre Dame's visit to No.

20 Purdue and whiz kid Drew Brees. The Irish feature the passing and running of Jarious Jackson. There's also a matchup of unranked teams to keep an eye on in Chapel Hill, N.C., where North Carolina, with sophomore quarterback Ronald Curry, plays Indiana, with its sophomore star Antwaan Randle El. After a-week off, Weinke's arm' College football PICKS is ready to go again after he was 20 of 32 for 242 yards and two TDs in a 41-7 win over Louisiana Tech on Aug. 28.

It was Weinke's first game since he had surgery on his spine last November. Hamilton, who has not fared well against Florida State, opened the season last week with 139 yards passing and three TDs two throwing, one running in a 49-14 win over Navy. Last season, Tech trailed the Seminoles 10-7 late in the third quarter when Hamilton left with an injury. Florida State won 34-7. Quarterbacks aside, note Georgia- Tech since joining the ACC in 1992; the 'Noles are 50-1-1 at home in the '90s and are riding a 41-game home unbeaten streak.

Brees, who hit 24 of 36 passes for 261 yards and two TDs in last season's final-minute 31-30 loss at Notre Dame, opened '99 by completing 26 of 43 for 273 yards and four TDs in a 47-13 rout of Central Florida. Jackson, meanwhile, was a thrill-a-minute in the Irish's 26-22 loss at Michigan last week. He threw for a career-best 302 yards and had two TDs one passing, one running. But he also had five errant pitchouts, was sacked four times and intercepted once. Asked to compare the two, Purdue coach Joe Tiller kidded: "They are significantly different Jackson is faster as long, as-Drew i Four Continued from page B1 Hays owns a 50.7 average and has steadily improved this season.

But Hays' greatest impact might be felt in another sport basketball. Hoppes said that's her sport of choice and he recommends area hoops fans remember the name because she has the potential to excel on the hardcourt Junior Allison Mitchell serves as the Panthers' No. 4 player, and Hoppes says she became a fixture in the lineup thanks to a solid work ethic. Mitchell has a 49.2 average. "Allison has improved drastically from last season," Hoppes said.

"She played almost exclusively on JV last season and she finished with a 58 average. But she's come out this season and really done a great job. She's dropped her aver- age by nine strokes over nine holes. She's made herself a golfer and I can't say enough about her." Hoppes also praises the other players in his program Emily Britton, Jennifer Felix, Karen Mason and Holly Phillips for their role in making the program a success. Each has played at the No.

4 or No. 5 spot at one point or another this season which gives Hoppes unexpected depth for a third-year program. Hoppes takes little to no credit for the program's sudden success he instead credits thp players and their parents; the schools junior-high program which figures to produce even more promising talent in the next few years; and the county's golf club professionals, whom he calls "exceptional." Western hosts a state sectional Sept. 18 at Chippendale Golf Club, and the Panthers figure to challenge for one of the top three spots, which would earn them a ticket to the regional. Hoppes knows the sectional won't be easy No.

2-ranked Noblesville and No. 10 Carmel are the field's co- headliners but he likes his team's chances. "We still have a lot to prove and we have an extremely tough sectional," he said. "But if we play to our potential, we can advance to the regional. The key for us is balance.

If we play like we did against Tipton last week two players shot 40s and two shot 42s we're tough to beat." (Gaskins can be reached through the sports department or by e-mail at line.com) Watson Continued from page B1 But softer, more forgiving greens are awaiting him on the Senior Tour as are old friends Lee Trevino, Hale Irwin, Larry Nelson and the boys. And it is Senior Tour officials who hope Watson will challenge for the throne of geezer golf. I'ryvin, 54, has been nothing short of dominant since he joined the Senior Tour four years ago. Walson-Irwin rivalry could breathe a little life into the 50- something set that has been without an injured and preoccupied Nicklaus. Even Trevino, Calmer and Rodriguez, the Tour's biggest names, haven't been competitive lately, sb Watson's arrival is greeted by Moth cheers and a sigh of relief, For the rest of us, it's greeted by, a perplexed look one confused blithe lines of age on Watson's tanned face, one that asks if this is truly the way it should be, Hard to believe it's been 16 years.

(Thomson Indiana sports columnist John Clayton can be reached by e-mail at Irish Continued from page B1 territory with less than two minutes to go. Rather than take a sack, he threw across the middle, where Tony Driver intercepted the ball and returned it to the Purdue 5 to set up the game-winning field goal. 'There were some mistakes in that game that I'made that cost us the game toward the end," Brees said. "What I learned from that was don't throw late across the middle ever again." Brees might not want to give up on the middle just yet. Though the Irish didn't give up gaudy numbers to Michigan's passing game (237 yards on 20 completions), quarterback Tom Brady had few problems throwing quick slants to his receivers or longer routes over the middle in the Wolverines' 2622 victory.

During Michigan's final two scoring drives, Brady had five completions of 14 yards or more, including a 28-yarder over the middle to open the second half. Jefferson said Notre Dame will have to play more bump-and-run if it hopes to throw off Purdue's four- and five-wideout scheme that largely relies on three-step quarterback drops and quick timing patterns. If the Irish can't do that, then Brees will likely do what he always does throw and throw and throw until a defense has a moment of weakness that turns into six points for the Boilermakers. "He has a good presence. He is one of those guys when he gets flushed out of there, he doesn't panic," Irish coach Bob Davie said of Brees.

"He looks for open receivers on the run, You have got to contain him on those bootlegs." Jefferson said that, while every Brees pass is a potential touchdown, it's also an opportunity for the Irish defensive backs. "My goal is to get at least two interceptions," Jefferson said with just a touch of brashness. "Maybe I can get more." LLfGOLF SPECIAL' i -IT 1 Golf Course 1 GREEN FEE PLUS CART (Exduding HoBdayi) For It Holei ol golf Rej.PHie $24.00 Pleaie tall ahead for availability didn't hear me. On a serious note, Drew is probably the better thrower, but Jarious has improved tremendously from last Handle El is another in a line of top option quarterbacks. In the Hoosiers' season-opening 21-9 win over Ball State, he threw for 154 yards and two TDs and ran for 118 yards and another score.

Curry likes to take off, too. In the Tar Heels' 20-17 loss to Virginia, he was. 10 of 28 for 147 yards and a TD, and also ran 16 times for 1 55 yards. The picks: No. 10 Georgia Tech (plus 18) at No.

1 Florida State 'Noles have Tech's number they've won last seven meetings. FLORIDA STATE, 42-21. Pittsburgh (plus at No. 2 Penn State This rivalry remains a mismatch STATE, iiGentral Florida 36) at No. 4 Florida Gators offense is fine, defense needs work before Vols visit on Sept 18....

FLORIDA, 56-14. California (plus 30) at No. 5 Nebraska Player woes in Lincoln won't affect outcome this week. NEBRASKA, 35-10. Rice (plus 25) at No.

6 Michigan Brady and Henson set to rotate at QB again for Wolverines. MICHIGAN, 42-14. Ball State (plus 36 at No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers' Ron Dayne works another half-day to get his yards and WISCONSIN, 49-7. Alabama-Birmingham (plus 25) at No.

11 Virginia Tech Hokies looking for third straight shutout of VIRGINIA TECH, 31-0. South Carolina (plus 14 at No. 12 Georgia 'Dawgs QB Quincy Carter too much for plucky Gamecocks' GEORGIA, 31-11. No. 14 UCLA (plus 10) at No.

13 Ohio State Bruins missing a bunch of starters due to suspensions and OHIO STATE, 34-21. Temple (plus at No. 17 Kansas State K-State finally opens the season. KANSAS STATE, 52-10. Middle Tennessee (plus 43) at No.

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