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No. 20 Ohio State gears up for first Big Ten game

By WTOP Staff

RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Just about everything during Saturday’s 50-28 victory over Cincinnati went well for No. 20 Ohio State.

It’s the few things that didn’t that haunt coach Urban Meyer.

“I hear someone say, ‘Just take away those four plays …'” Meyer said Monday. “But you can’t just take away those four plays. That’s part of the game.”

The Buckeyes have scored 116 points in two wins since a withering defeat to Virginia Tech. But heading into Saturday’s Big Ten opener at Maryland, Meyer was still troubled by four touchdown passes by Cincinnati — three of which covered at least 60 yards — in the most recent win.

Gunner Kiel completed 21 of 32 passes for 352 yards and the four scores. It was a bitter sequel to the horror show that Ohio State defenders had to watch on game films late last year.

The Buckeyes were ravaged for 380 passing yards per game in the last three games of last season, losing twice. So Meyer hired new co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash to take a wrecking ball to the old defense and construct a new one based on cornerbacks going one-on-one with wide receivers and everybody else playing far more aggressively.

It was hard to tell the old D from the new one when a Bearcat receiver was running free down the center of the field.

The Bearcats and Kiel took advantage of the Buckeyes’ aggressiveness.

“Live by the sword, die by the sword sometimes,” said Ohio State’s other co-coordinator, Luke Fickell. “But you don’t like to die by three of them (the long passes).”

Fickell says they just need to keep working on the problems.

“We’ve got to build upon the positives and correct those little things — not little things, but big things — that show up,” Fickell said.

When asked about the long touchdown passes, backup cornerback Armani Reeves chose to look at the big picture.

“We need to eliminate them getting those touchdowns. But it doesn’t hurt us. They got the upper hand and at the end of the day we still won the game,” he said. “That’s what matters. No matter if they caught those or not, we won the game.”

Meyer says the scores were a mixture of Cincinnati executing well and the Buckeyes making glaring mistakes.

Clearly upset after the game, Meyer discussed with players and coaches how to avoid a recurrence. Maryland, which figures to be particularly inspired as it hosts its first Big Ten game ever, has one of the best receivers in the nation in Stefon Diggs.

Meyer normally spends most of his time with the offense. Yet he still shouldered some of the blame for the problems with the secondary.

“I don’t call defenses. But I’m a game manager,” he said. “That’s what my job is, and I should have had more input in that.”

___

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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