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Edsall: Maryland defense fundamentally unsound

By WTOP Staff

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — The game plan was fine. The execution was not.

That’s how Maryland coach Randy Edsall explained the horrid performance of his defense against West Virginia last Saturday in a 40-37 defeat.

The Terrapins surrendered 33 first downs and 694 total yards, their worst defensive performance since Florida State piled up 858 yards against them in 1992.

“It just gets back to the basics,” coach Randy Edsall said Tuesday. “If you do the basics the right way, a lot of that stuff would have been taken care of.”

Maryland (2-1) has much to correct and not a lot of time to do it. The Terrapins visit Syracuse (2-0) on Saturday in their first game against an Atlantic Coast Conference foe since leaving the conference.

While ground-oriented Syracuse is far less likely to pile up 511 passing yards, as West Virginia did, the Orange won’t hesitate to exploit Maryland’s miscues.

“One time we had basically had a double on a guy and he ran right through a double because our eyes weren’t where they were supposed to be,” Edsall said. “If we put our eyes where they’re supposed to be, we have the guy covered, he’s not going to beat you and they’re probably not going to throw the football there. It’s just little things like that.”

Some of the struggles were understandable. West Virginia, a talented team comfortable with a fast tempo, was bound to put up some yards. In addition, the Terps were without two starting linebackers. Senior L.A. Goree sat out with a back injury, while senior Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil (foot) missed his third consecutive game. Edsall said Cudjoe-Virgil practiced Tuesday.

What was perhaps the most startling part of the Terrapins’ problems Saturday was the contrast they provided to the first two games. Maryland allowed 302 yards in a 52-7 win over James Madison to open the season, and just 257 yards and one offensive touchdown in a 24-17 victory at South Florida the following week.

That success is part of the reason the Terps believe they can bounce back from Saturday’s performance.

“I definitely think it’s fixable,” senior nose tackle Darius Kilgo said. “I think on some plays, we weren’t all on the same page.”

Most importantly, Maryland isn’t dwelling on one of its most dismal defensive days, at least statistically, is some time.

“We’re ready to go,” sophomore cornerback William Likely said. “That’s behind us. What happened in the past is in the past.”

And moving forward, Edsall is emphasizing his back-to-basics approach.

“We have to get everybody to take of their responsibility and get everybody flying to the football,” Edsall said. “I don’t want to hear about injuries. I don’t want to hear about any of that stuff. Whoever is in there, we’re confident they can go in and do the job. It just gets down to doing your job, taking care of your responsibility, everybody playing team defense.”

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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