DATE: Tuesday, September 16, 1997           TAG: 9709160451

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   41 lines

TRIBE QB OUT AT LEAST 3 GAMES

William and Mary quarterback Mike Cook will have surgery on his left knee today and is expected to miss at least three games, coach Jimmye Laycock said Monday.

``Hopefully we can get him back before the end of the year,'' Laycock said. ``The best-case scenario is three to four weeks.''

In another bit of bad news, backup quarterback Steve Fill may be unavailable Saturday when the Tribe travels to New Hampshire. Fill twisted his right ankle after relieving Cook in Saturday's 41-12 win over VMI. If Fill can't play, third-stringer Daron Pope, a redshirt freshman, will start.

An MRI showed that Cook has ligament damage and possible cartilage damage, the result of a late hit by VMI defensive end Jordan Clark.

``It's a very unfortunate thing,'' Laycock said. ``He was off to as good a start as any quarterback that I can remember here.''

A preseason All-American, Cook has thrown for 889 yards and nine touchdowns for the 3-0 Tribe, ranked third in Division I-AA. He was on a record pace, with 294 yards and three touchdowns, when he was knocked from the VMI game just before halftime.

Fill threw for 162 yards and a touchdown before limping off in the fourth quarter. Pope finished the game and completed 1 of 2 passes for 42 yards and a touchdown. The trio's 498 passing yards set a school record.

``Steve and Darren haven't had a lot of snaps,'' Laycock said. ``But I think they can be good quarterbacks. I really do.''

Fill, a junior, beat out Pope for the backup job in preseason. He saw limited time in five games last year and also played in the Tribe's season-opening win over Hampton.

``If Steve's healthy, he starts,'' Laycock said. ``It's just a little early to tell. We'll have to see him out on the field at practice.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

W&M's Mike Cook, injured against VMI, will undergo surgery on his

left

knee today.

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