Bentley Drives a Hard Bargain at Northwestern

The flamboyant Kevin Bentley continues to adapt like a chameleon.

As a football and basketball standout at Montclair Prep, Bentley changed the color of his hair so often it nearly obscured the fact that he had talent to dye for.

As a linebacker struggling to break into the lineup this season at Northwestern, Bentley had to adjust to a new coach, a prospect that can be daunting. Often, a first-year staff implements a new scheme that renders personnel recruited by the previous regime obsolete.

But Bentley, a notorious chatterbox, greeted Coach Randy Walker and linebackers coach Jay Peterson with handshakes, slaps on the back and a stream-of-consciousness monologue on a variety of topics that even touched on football.

The coaches agreed that if Bentley could play half as well as he could talk, he would fit well into the attacking 4-3 defense they planned to introduce.

Bentley has backed up every word.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound sophomore leads the Big 10 Conference with 89 tackles, including a school-record 25 against Indiana and 11 in a 23-21 victory over Iowa last Saturday.

“We saw something special in Kevin right after we came on in January,” Peterson said. “In the weight room, he was a perfectionist. He was vocal. He seemed ideal for the more aggressive style we wanted to install.

“He’s better than we could have dreamed. This kid puts it all on the field. He has a nose for the football and he wants to be a great player.”

Bentley is well-suited to Walker’s attacking scheme. With the defense playing a read-and-react style last season, he played mostly on special teams and had nine tackles.

“This defense fits Kevin’s mentality to a T,” Peterson said. “He likes to read his key and go.”

Bentley does more than make tackles. He has two interceptions, including one against Iowa. Northwestern (3-4) led, 9-0, in the second quarter when Bentley picked off a pass at the Iowa 24-yard line that set up a touchdown.

His other interception came on a screen pass thrown by Purdue’s Drew Brees. Bentley returned it 40 yards for a touchdown.

Northwestern is idle this week before playing Wisconsin on Oct. 30. Bentley will be intent on slowing tailback Ron Dayne.

“We’ll need Kevin to be at his best against that rascal,” Peterson said.

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Elvis has not left the stadium. At least not at UC Davis.

Defensive tackle Robby Flannery, the team’s sack leader, impersonates Elvis Presley at Aggie basketball games and volleyball matches as part of a fun-loving group of students known as the Aggie Pack.

On the football field, the fun is over for opposing quarterbacks. Flannery gets them all shook up.

Flannery, a 6-2, 260-pound junior from Chaminade, leads the Aggies (6-1) with 7 1/2 sacks and 14 tackles for losses. He ranks second with 42 total tackles.

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Tra’e Milton, a sophomore tailback from St. Francis, leads Davis with 455 yards rushing and six touchdowns.

Milton became the starter after Sam Paneno (La Canada) had his leg amputated below the knee as a result of an injury sustained against Western Oregon in September.

Paneno is undergoing rehabilitation in La Canada and plans to return to Davis as a student in January.