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No. 19 Wisconsin making strides on defense

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Michael Caputo gets the tackles for No. 19 Wisconsin — and makes sure to dish out the credit.

With the linebackers taking up blockers in front of him, the junior safety can swoop in for hits.

Three games into the season and the Wisconsin defense is taking positive steps forward with Big Ten play looming.

“Within the scheme of things, if everyone does the right job, it’s all going to wind back to someone to make a play,” Caputo said.

There is just one more nonconference game, against South Florida on Saturday. For the most part, the defense has held up well, especially considering that the team has been playing without top defensive lineman Warren Herring.

Second-year coach Gary Andersen has to replace the entire front seven coming into the season. Most of the new starters, including Herring, did play some last season, though the Badgers moved to a bit of lighter, swifter look with an emphasis on creating more big plays.

Wisconsin (2-1) has produced five turnovers in three games, roughly middle of the pack early on in the Big Ten. But the Badgers were able to capitalize on two turnovers last week in a 68-17 victory over Bowling Green, leading to Melvin Gordon’s touchdown runs.

Those momentum shifts were understandably lost in the spotlight that followed Gordon after the tailback’s career-best outing of 253 yards rushing and five scores. But they are important in helping Wisconsin establish a defensive identity.

“When you can give offenses multiple looks, different looks, you know they don’t know where the pressure’s coming from or if we’re dropping back into coverage,” linebacker Derek Landisch said. “I think that’s what can cause takeaways, what can cause big plays.”

Landisch had a breakout performance against the Falcons with two sacks and a tipped pass that led to an interception in the end zone by safety Lubern Figaro.

“Derek Landisch was unbelievably good in that game. He was blitzing, he was very good,” Andersen said. “It shows up on film, his communication and allowing the kids to get into position for success. Pre-snap awareness was great.”

Perhaps the only positive with losing Herring, who is out at least another couple weeks with a knee injury, was that it helped open up more playing time for young linemen like freshmen Chikwe Obasih and Alec James.

The toughest test of the year so far came in the season opener against LSU, when the defense played relatively well until the second half after losing Herring and another senior defensive lineman, Konrad Zagzebski, to injury.

There will be growing pains, for sure, as the season progresses. But more experienced Badgers like Landisch and Caputo have stepped up to lead the way in the early going.

Zagzebski has returned to anchor the front. Caputo has a team-high 21 tackles, just one more than linebacker Marcus Trotter. Landisch has 17 tackles, including four for losses.

Of the four players, only Caputo was a regular starter last year.

“I don’t want to say we exceeded what I thought we could do, because my expectations are pretty high,” Caputo said.

___

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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