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Cincinnati must fix defense as it starts AAC play

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Pushed around. Knocked around. Awful. Exposed. Coach Tommy Tuberville didn’t try to minimize the Bearcats’ defensive ineptitude in their biggest game of the season.

The challenge now is to somehow make that same defense better for conference play.

Cincinnati gave up an NCAA-record 45 first downs and 710 yards during a 50-28 loss at Ohio State on Saturday. The Bearcats (2-1) couldn’t stop the run or the pass, turning a high-scoring game into a blowout in the second half.

They host Memphis (2-2) on Saturday night at Paul Brown Stadium in their American Athletic Conference opener. Cincinnati was picked to win the league because of its powerful passing game behind Gunner Kiel, but the defense will decide whether the Bearcats are a contender.

Tuberville said his team got “pushed around.”

“We’ve got a lot of young guys trying to learn new positions that they don’t have experience in, but we’ve got to get better in some areas,” he said. “It’s not been very good defensively. It’s pretty easy to tell that.”

Cincinnati has given up 34, 24 and 50 points in its first three games. The Bearcats rank 10th in the AAC in defense. Their line isn’t holding, and their young secondary is giving up big plays.

Ohio State dominated the game by simply running the ball straight ahead. The Buckeyes had 101 plays, including 65 runs that generated 380 yards. Ohio State faced only 14 third downs the entire game and converted nine of them.

“What disappointed me on Saturday was that we played awful on first down,” Tuberville said. “We didn’t even give ourselves a chance on second and third down.”

Desperate to stop the run, the Bearcats sometimes used an eight-man, nine-man or 11-man front and still couldn’t stop the Buckeyes.

“It upsets me, but it doesn’t hurt my pride,” linebacker Nick Temple said. “I know what we’re capable of. We know we’re better than we were last week.”

Tuberville is considering lineup changes. Senior cornerback Adrian Witty is expected back after missing two games because of injuries. Cincinnati has three sophomores and a freshman atop the depth chart as the safety positions, so the secondary is going to be a work in progress all season.

“We haven’t had many breaks on defense,” Tuberville said.

The one bright spot for the Bearcats has been the passing game. Kiel threw four more touchdown passes in Columbus, giving him 14 in the first three games. He ranks seventh nationally in yards passing per game at 347.

Tuberville wondered how Kiel would respond when he got knocked around. He took a hit below the chin against Ohio State but stayed in the game and played well.

“He has that look in your eye that you want as a quarterback after he had the heck knocked out of him,” Tuberville said. “So he has done a good job of taking licks bouncing back, being able to not lose his concentration, focusing on the next play, continuing with the offense.”

Notes: Tuberville expects his offensive line to be closer to full-strength. Left guard Kevin Schloemer, center Deyshawn Bond and right tackle Corey Keebler have been sidelined by injuries at various points in the first three games. Bond is expected to return. Schloemer is recovering from a concussion. Keebler is questionable.

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Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

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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