Skip to main content

Fuller emerges for Bears in win over 49ers

By WTOP Staff

ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — With two late interceptions, Kyle Fuller showed his athleticism and instincts.

If this is a sign of things to come, the Chicago Bears will take it.

The rookie cornerback made a big impression by picking off Colin Kaepernick twice to help the Bears rally from a 17-point deficit in a 28-20 victory at San Francisco on Sunday night.

“I’m definitely trying to enjoy that, but at the same time I’m starting to get my mind ready to get ready for next week,” Fuller said.

Now, he’s stepping into a bigger role. With the Bears losing veteran Charles Tillman to a torn right triceps for the second straight year, Fuller is likely to get the call when Chicago visits the New York Jets on Monday night.

This isn’t exactly the plan the Bears had in mind when they took Fuller with the 14th pick in the draft. They will be leaning on him sooner with Tillman out.

The two-time Pro Bowl cornerback came up clutching his arm in pain in the third quarter against the 49ers after he got tangled with Michael Crabtree during a run along the sideline by Kaepernick.

That put Tillman’s future as a Bear not to mention his career in question given his age (33) and expiring contract.

It also put Fuller on a faster track, and he delivered in a big way, with interceptions on back-to-back drives in the fourth quarter.

He set up the go-ahead touchdown when he swatted the ball from Crabtree and managed to secure the ball against his stomach before returning the interception to the San Francisco 6.

Kaepernick got called for unsportsmanlike conduct for using “inappropriate language” on that play, and Jay Cutler connected with Martellus Bennett on a 3-yard scoring pass.

On the next drive, Fuller dropped off coverage on Crabtree to pick off a deeper pass to tight end Derek Carrier for his second interception, and the Bears came away with the win after a brutal loss to Buffalo at home in the opener.

“What a game Kyle had,” guard Kyle Long said. “I can’t speak to his talent and his work ethic and his playmaking ability enough.”

Fuller was something of an eye-opening pick when the Bears drafted him out of Virginia Tech. They had openings for two starting safeties, but general manager Phil Emery opted for a cornerback, instead.

He was impressed by Fuller’s strength and speed and saw him as a potential contributor this season behind Tillman and Tim Jennings.

Against the 49ers, he came up big.

While Fuller was making plays, his three brothers were texting back and forth. Fuller’s phone was jammed with messages after the game, and he called his siblings before he left the stadium.

Two have played in the NFL, with his brother Corey a receiver for the Detroit Lions. Another brother, Kendall, is a defensive back for Virginia Tech.

“Two of them were probably half-asleep,” Kyle Fuller said. “It’s always good to talk to those guys and really just enjoy it with them as well.”

There was plenty for them to enjoy. The question is whether Fuller can fill in for Tillman.

As impressive as the rookie was, that still is a big loss for the Bears. Tillman said in a statement that this “isn’t the end of the road” for him and vowed to be at Halas Hall, supporting his teammates.

Fuller said he has learned quite a bit from Tillman, and coach Marc Trestman expects the mentoring to continue. He saw it throughout camp. When secondary coach Jon Hoke was occupied, Trestman said Tillman “was always there and is always there” to help.

“This building will be open to him to help us in any way that he would like to do that,” Trestman said. “That will be up to him on how much involvement he would like to have.”

Notes: Trestman said he was prepared to go without Pro Bowl receivers Brandon Marshall (ankle) and Alshon Jeffery (hamstring) against the 49ers, but they were “pretty much at full speed” in pregame warmups. He added that Jeffery was less than 100 percent during the game but experienced no setbacks. … Trestman said he is “hopeful” that S Chris Conte’s left shoulder injury is not serious but will know more in the next few days. The same goes for DT Jeremiah Ratliff (concussion).

___

Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote