The Times-Mail from Bedford, Indiana • 9

I TOMORROW Colts face uphiB battle to repeat B4 Preview of area boys basketball teams, including BNL and Mitchell. V) fleoember 26, 2007 www.tmnews.com INSIDE: Times-Mail Classifieds section pages bm Boilermakers, Chippewas to match offenses PlBSS AUBURN HILLS, Mick. When tee Tiller came to Purdue in 1997, was told his high-octane offense would never work in the Big Ten. Not only would the spread attack be frowned upon in a conference that still believed in Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler and "three yards rad a cloud of dust," but pass-based system would be grounded by the wind rad cold of Midwest autumn. Tiller didn't pay any attention.

Nor did his opponents in the Motor City Bowl. On Wednesday Purdue will play its 10th bowl game in 11 years, facing the back-to-back Mid-American Conference champion Central Michigan Chippewas, who also use the spread offense. "When 1 got to Purdue, they told me that there was no way the spread would work here because of the weather, Tiller said. "That never made much sense to me, because I had just been having great success with it in Wyoming. Maybe they didn't know what November is likd in Wyoming." While Tiller was one of the coaches to bring the spread offense a system using four or live receivers on many plays, and a quarterback in the shotgun formation on most snaps to a wider audience, it has now become the latest trendy scheme.

Tiller, though, doestrt consider it some kind id unstoppable attack. It! one of those cyclical things, flight now; the spread is the hot offense," he said. "In a few years, the pendulum might change again, and Everyone will be playing the wishbone again. .1 First-year Central Michigan coach Butch Jones is another spread believer, and he inherited a program that already ran Brian Kelly! version of the system. He nude some changes, adding things he had learned in his two years as an assistant at West Virginia under new Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez.

Rodriguez! system, unlike many flavors of the spread, makes heavy use of the quarterback as a runner, and Jones had the perfect player in Dan LeFevour. LeFevour led the Chippewas to a MAC championship and a Motor City Bowl title as a freshman, but took a big step forward as a sophomore, joining Vince Young as the only quarterbacks to ever throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season. LeFevour will be lining up Wednesday against another quarterback with gaudy numbers, Curtis Painter. The Purdue senior threw for 3300 yards and 26 touchdowns this season, but in Tiller! version of the spread, he! not the same type of runner as LeFevour. Purdue, played Michigan in September, a game the Boilermakers won 43-22, the teams combined for 1,048 yards of offense, including 724 in the air.

Painter and LeFevour combined to complete 64 of 93 passes, with five touchdowns and one interception. see BOILERMAKERS paga B4 CouiaeyPtato BEDFORD Gary Noel, whoaa pan nama is Tax Noat, holds a copy of his book on coNege football, Stars of an Earlier Autumn. Noat, a 1974 gradual of Badfotd High School, apant 17 yaara compiling Information tar the he revamped the football media guide at Northeastern State College in Oklahoma, where he studied journalism and mass communications. Noel has completed three previous shorter books on college football history and statistics, but the 376-page "Stars of an Earlier Autumn, which also includes photos of a few teams and former players, is his' most satisfying effort so far. It is an unofficial pre-1937 college i NOEL paga B4 the tube Noel overcomes ailments, pens college football book TnesMH BEDFORD BNL! Tabby Terreflgoee up for a allot against the Waahington Hatchets earflorthie season.

GoumHy (clash MITCHELL vs. BNL Site: BNL Fieldhouse. Tlpoft: Thursday, 6 p.m. (JV). Racordii Mitchel 6-4; Bedford NL 8-2, ranked No.

15 in Class 4A Last mealing: Last year at Mitchel. BNL got 13 points and 12 rebound? from Lauren Brim to fend off a fierce challenge as Mitchell fed, 54-48. Natalie Morse scored 12 points and Jordan Wilson added 1 1 for the Bluejackets. Probable Starting Unaups Mitchell Bluejacket Aften Ferguson 5-8 Sc Mard Carmichael 5-9 Sr. Jordan Wilson 5-4 Sr.

Amanda trambaugh Jr. Natalie Morse Jr. Bedford NL Stars Megan Burton Sr. Joey Holt 5-7 Jr Tayla Robbins 5-8 So. Amanda So.

Tabi Jr. Ssason stats B4 Decker, Jackets return to BNL Fieldhouse to face Stars BY JEFF BARTLETT jeffbtmnews.com BEDFORD Frank Decker will find Thursday night that you can follow your heart and still bring it back home. That! when Decker will bring his Mitchell Lady Bluejackets to BNL Fieldhouse, the site of his first-ever high school head coaching job. Decker, who guided the Lady Stars from 1999-03, is in his first season as head coach at Mitchell after spending a couple of seasons as the junior varsity coach. He has a vast heart that he knows will be tugged on his daughter Mandy played for BN1! 1991 state championship and V2 state runner-up squads and his son, Robb, played for the Stars when he walks through the door, but his ultimate loyally lies BY CLAUDE MRSONS Special to the Times-Mal BEDFORD Bedford native Gary Noel hasn't let three heart attacks plus back and knee problems keep him from realizing a longtime dream publishing a book about college football.

The 1974 Bedford High School graduate, who writes under the name Tex Noel, has spent the past 17 years gathering information for Sun of gn Earlier Autumn, which was published in November. A long-time sports fan, he grew up following baseball, with the St. Louis Cardinals his favorite team. In 1973 his main interest switched to college (potball, and that sport has captured his attention ever since. "I refer to myself as a football statistics historian," commented Noel, 51.

1 enjoy writing, but I prefer looking up history and statistics and putting than together." After a stint in the Army he attend- fed Henderson County Junior College in Athens, Texas, where he received a journalism degree in 1982. Then he went to West Texas State, Canyon, Texas, where he worked in the sports information office doing football sta-listics'as well as more research. Lat- Ow with those currently in his care. It! a little bit of an odd game for me, but it! not about me," Decker insisted. It! about the Mitchell Bluejackets and the Bedford North Lawrence Stars.

"As much as I enjoyed my time when I was at BNL, and with all the fond memories of my daughter and son playing there, Ive enjoyed my time every bit as much at Mitchell. Growing up in Bedford first as a player and then father to players, I have great memories, but you move forward because you have to. "When you work at a place kids just find a way of working their way into your heart, and that! certainly happened with me down here. So I guess the good thing about it is that I'm walking into a place I loved coaching while coaching at a place I love." see CLASH page B4 COLLEGE FOOTBALL 7:30 p.m. ESPN Motor City Bowl, Purdue vs.

Cent. Michigan, at Detroit J..