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Back from bye week, Buckeyes now focus on Bearcats

By WTOP Staff

RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — In his six seasons as the head coach at Florida, Urban Meyer didn’t have to wait long to see if he was really welcome in a Sunshine State recruit’s home.

“(They were) either a ‘Nole, ‘Cane or a Gator,” he said, referring to the backers of the Florida State Seminoles, Miami Hurricanes or his own Florida Gators. “You (could) walk in, ‘How are you today?’ and they (would use their arms to make the motion of an alligator chomp). And it would be a good day for you.”

Now Meyer is the coach at Ohio State, the dominant team in its state instead of having to share the spotlight with several other top-ranked programs.

But that doesn’t mean Meyer doesn’t feel some unease heading into the No. 22 Buckeyes’ game on Saturday night against the Bearcats.

He considers UC to be on equal footing with Ohio State.

“We have to be at our best,” the 1986 Cincinnati grad said Monday. “I expect us to be that. On the bye week we practiced Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, last week, back at it today and we’re ready to go.”

It figures to be a huge test for the state’s figurehead team, particularly since the Bearcats (2-0) can throw the ball with the best of them and the Buckeyes (2-1) have yet to prove that their new pass defense is up to snuff.

Ohio State, of course, has long flexed its muscles against the rest of the Buckeye state. It hopes to run its winning streak against in-state opponents to 40 in a row. It hasn’t lost to one since a 7-6 setback to Oberlin in 1921.

The Buckeyes walloped Kent State 66-0 in its last outing before the bye.

Defensive tackle Adolphus Washington grew up in Cincinnati and got his first college scholarship offer from the Bearcats when he was a freshman at Taft High School.

And he still ended up going to Ohio State.

He says he’s pretty sure Cincinnati’s players feel slighted by all the attention given to the Buckeyes.

“Probably,” he said. “So they’re going to come in with a chip on their shoulder, ready to play.”

Ohio State cornerbacks coach and special-teams coordinator Kerry Coombs was a big winner as the head coach for 16 years at Cincinnati’s Colerain High School. He also spent five seasons as an assistant at UC. But when Meyer beckoned him to Columbus, he still made the move.

“Cincinnati is our home. My wife and I grew up 2 miles apart, we both went to (Colerain). Our kids went there, our families, our parents — everybody was there,” Coombs said. “When Urban called (with a job offer), I called my wife and said, ‘I got this phone call today. Before I tell him no, I just wanted to tell you that.’ She said, ‘Don’t you tell him no.’

“She said, ‘Let’s go do this. We can make it work.'”

Coombs has been alongside Meyer now for all three of his seasons and a 26-3 record at Ohio State.

“It’s still hard,” Coombs said. “I loved where I lived, and I loved what I was doing. But this is Ohio State.”

Only when one of its neighbors knocks off Ohio State might that perception change.

___

Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RustyMillerAP

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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