DATE: Thursday, September 25, 1997          TAG: 9709250551

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: ED MILLER

                                            LENGTH:   49 lines

FOORBALL REPORT

Injuries likely will force W&M to start 3rd-string QB again

With backup quarterback Steve Fill still hobbled by an ankle injury, third-stringer Daron Pope will likely start again Saturday for William and Mary.

``There's no use comparing them because Steve really isn't ready yet,'' coach Jimmye Laycock said Tuesday.

Pope, a redshirt freshman, saw his first college action in last Saturday's 24-22 loss at New Hampshire. He completed 17 of 28 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown. Playing in place of starter Mike Cook, Pope answered every New Hampshire score by leading the Tribe on a scoring drive of its own. He moved the team 64 yards in 22 seconds on its final drive, which ended with Alvin Porch losing a fumble in the end zone with a minute remaining.

The loss dropped the Tribe from third to ninth in the Sports Network I-AA poll.

Tribe defense is waiting till the going gets tough

William and Mary's defense, which ranked second in the nation a year ago and was expected to be one of the team's strengths, has lived up to its billing - but in second halves only.

In four games, the Tribe has allowed no points in the third quarter and just 12 in the fourth. It has allowed 58 in the first half, however, and the Tribe has trailed at halftime the last three weeks.

A bright spot last Saturday was the play of linebacker Todd Greineder, a true freshman. Greineder, playing in place of injured starter Joe Wilkins, had seven tackles, including two for losses.

Odds and ends

Richmond's 56-3 win over VMI Saturday was its most lopsided since the Spiders beat the Norfolk Marines 74-7 in 1943. Defense has been Richmond's calling card under coach Jim Reid. Richmond scored 20 or more points just four times in Reid's first two seasons, but has done it three times in four games this season. . . .

William and Mary receiver Dave Conklin has caught at least nine passes, for at least 100 yards, in three straight games. On the season, Conklin has caught 31 passes for 558 yards, best in Division I-AA. . . .

James Madison, picked last in the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Atlantic 10, entered the top 25 this week after a 13-10 win over Massachusetts.

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