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Playing catch up: Gordon, No. 19 Badgers impress

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s offense is a work in progress with a first-year starting quarterback throwing to receivers placed in more prominent roles this season.

But a 68-17 drubbing of Bowling Green offered positive signs for the road ahead for the Badgers, especially with prominent holdover Melvin Gordon leading the charge on the ground.

Regardless of the quality of opponent, Saturday’s victory was just the kind of morale-building performance that Wisconsin needed following an uneven start.

“Melvin and I told each other that we were behind the eight ball a little bit as a team in the Big Ten and in the nation, so we looked at it like this is the game we have to catch up to everybody else,” said receiver and return specialist Kenzel Doe. “We had to go out there and prove to ourselves and prove to everybody that we aren’t going anywhere.”

They stayed put in the AP Top 25 poll released Sunday at No. 19.

Gordon had a career-best 253 yards rushing and five touchdowns against Bowling Green, and Wisconsin had a Big Ten-record 644 yards rushing as a team.

But this wasn’t just old-school Wisconsin bulldozing over opponents with a massive offensive line.

They still do that, by the way, under coach Gary Andersen. But the Badgers also threw often on first downs when the game was unexpectedly tight early into the second quarter. Tanner McEvoy, learning on the job in his third career start at quarterback, settled down after a few misfires.

“We had trouble running the ball and then all of a sudden we started passing the ball. You have to adjust to what the defense is giving you and whatever starts working,” McEvoy said.

Wisconsin used more formations in which both Gordon and backup Corey Clement were on the field at the same time, forcing the defense to account for both talented running backs and the dual-threat McEvoy. The Badgers ran the jet sweep with more frequency, or play-faked showing sweep. The sweep is Gordon’s signature play.

These are just the kind of problems that Andersen wanted to present to defenses in choosing McEvoy as his starter.

“I definitely think there’s a higher ceiling. We know we can rush the ball like that. We know we can pass the ball like that. We’ve just got to put it all together and keep working at it,” McEvoy said. He ran for 158 yards, a school record for a quarterback, while throwing a touchdown pass and an interception.

The Badgers showed positive signs all across the team.

Doe had nine returns for 157 yards. Linebacker Derek Landisch, had six tackles and two sacks. He also deflected a pass in the red zone that was intercepted by freshman safety Lubern Figaro.

That big play turned out to be the turning point with about 12 minutes left in the second quarter and Wisconsin leading by four.

Creating more big plays was another goal this year for Andersen, and the defense added a fumble recovery forced by sophomore linebacker Vince Biegel.

Andersen loved the complementary play. Defenders spoke proudly about playing harder as the game wore on to get the ball back for the offense with Gordon having such a good day.

“It was some good team effort. We still have a lot we can work on,” Andersen said. “But we’ll work on those starting tomorrow.”

___

Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP

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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