[0] BRIEFLY\O'Donnell heads list of free agents.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

Pittsburgh quarterback Neil O'Donnell and Super Bowl XXX hero Larry Brown of Dallas were among the NFL players who officially became free agents Friday.

Among other players granted unrestricted free agency were Kansas City running back Marcus Allen, Dallas offensive tackle Erik Williams, San Francisco cornerback Eric Davis, Pittsburgh tackle Leon Searcy and Oakland quarterback Jeff Hostetler.

Atlanta quarterback Jeff George was given a transition designation, meaning his team can match any offer from another club. Others in that group are Colts linebacker Quentin Coryatt, Chiefs cornerback Dale Carter and Giants running back Rodney Hampton.

Colts quarterback Jim Harbaugh and Houston cornerback Chris Dishman were among those given franchise designation, meaning they must stay with their current team if it offers them a contract worth at least the average of the five highest-paid players at their position.

Bill Belichick, fired as coach of the Baltimore franchise this week, was named defensive secondary coach with New England.

GOLF

Russ Cochran shot a 6-under-par 66 to join Brad Fabel, Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk in a four-way tie for first place after 36 holes of the $1.2 million Hawaiian Open in Honolulu.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Louisville center Samaki Walker, who has missed eight games during an in-house investigation, violated no NCAA rules by using a car purchased by his father, a university report said.

ETC 

Macho Teen is a U.S. amateur bosing champion. Hector Camacho Jr., 17-year-old son of boxing's colorful and controversial Macho Man, won the 139-pound title by outpointing Ishe Smith of Las Vegas in a battle of high school students in Colorado Springs, Colo. . . .

Thirty -year-old Lawrence Clay-Bey, 242 pounds, of Hartford, Conn., defended the super heavyweight title by knocking down 6-foot-8 Lance Whitaker, 250,of Granada Hills, the 1994 U.S. champion, with a left hook and right to thehead and stopped him with two seconds left in the bout. . . .

After a review of the case, a court ruled that Steffi Graf's father, takeninto custody six months ago in a tax-evasion investigation, will remain jailed. . . .

Pete Sampras rallied to beat Greg Rudeski 6-7, (5-7), 6-3, 6-4 at the Sybase Open in San Jose. Sampras joins Jan Kroslak in the semifinals along with Andre Agassi, who beat Richey Reneberg, and Michael Chang, who dumped Jason Stoltenberg.