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Narduzzi preparing for huge test against Oregon

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Pat Narduzzi will have enough to worry about when Michigan State takes on Oregon this weekend, so the talkative defensive coordinator dismissed the idea that jet lag or the heat might play a significant role in the outcome.

“You can say food’s a factor, the airplane’s a factor. We can name all kinds of factors, if you let it be a factor,” Narduzzi said. “The factor is that offense. That’s what we’re looking at, so that’s the only factor we care about.”

Narduzzi has helped turn Michigan State into one of the nation’s top defensive teams over the last few years, but Saturday’s game at No. 3 Oregon might be his biggest test yet. The matchup between the seventh-ranked Spartans and the high-scoring Ducks is perhaps the most intriguing nonconference game on this year’s college football schedule — and Oregon’s quick-paced offense will put plenty of pressure on Narduzzi’s talented unit.

“They’re a lot faster than we are, if you watch the tape,” Narduzzi said. “We’ll have our hands full.”

Narduzzi may have been posturing a bit with that comment. There’s no reason to sell Michigan State short after the Spartans finished second in the nation in total defense last season. Michigan State won the Big Ten and then beat Stanford in the Rose Bowl.

In one November victory over rival Michigan, the Spartans held the Wolverines to minus-48 yards rushing. In the Big Ten title game against Ohio State, the Buckeyes were actually able to run the ball effectively, but they completed only eight passes against Michigan State’s stingy secondary.

“They have some of the best defensive backs in the country. They really trust those guys outside and they like to bring pressure,” Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota said. “We’ll have to be able to communicate up front and make sure we’re good in our protections and try and take our shots.”

Oregon averaged 45 points per game last season, but the Ducks did lose twice, including against Stanford when they allowed three sacks and didn’t score until the fourth quarter. Now it’s Michigan State — with defensive standouts lineman Shilique Calhoun and safety Kurtis Drummond — that will try to slow Mariota’s team.

“I think Coach Narduzzi does an awesome job of getting them prepared. Everybody that plays them knows what they’re going to run, they just run it really well,” Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost said. “They’ve seen about everything. There’s some good coordinators out there and people try and trick them and misdirection them and usually they have an adjustment for almost everything. They also do a really good job of — if they get beat with something once, they’re not going to get beat again.”

Narduzzi’s view of Oregon is similar. It’s not that the Ducks overwhelm opponents with all sorts of different plays, it’s that they can execute similar plays in different ways, depending on what the defense does — and without needing much time between snaps.

“They’re going to repeat plays, we hope. We hope they don’t have an arsenal of a hundred different plays that they can run Saturday,” Narduzzi said Wednesday. “They’re going to repeat plays, but I would say they’re similar to us. They like to do things and do them well, and they definitely specialize in what they do.”

Michigan State opened the season with an easy victory over Jacksonville State — another team that tries to push the pace offensively. Narduzzi estimates that Oregon is about four seconds per play faster than Jacksonville State. Throw in a potentially hot day out west, and this will be quite a challenge for the Spartans.

It’s one the Michigan State players are looking forward to — if this week’s preparation is any indication.

“I may have seen a little extra pep to them, to be honest with you. We treat them the same. We try to hit them in the head with a baseball bat if we have to, to get them going,” Narduzzi joked. “But I did see a little extra yesterday. We didn’t have to bring the bats out.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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