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No. 11 Mississippi prepares for Alabama offense

By WTOP Staff

DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Lane Kiffin has opened up the once-vanilla Alabama offense and the first-year offensive coordinator has the Crimson Tide piling up passing yards and points.

Slowing down Alabama has become even tougher.

No. 11 Mississippi (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) will see if it is up to the challenge when the Rebels host the 3rd-ranked Tide (4-0, 1-0) on Saturday. Alabama is averaging 42 points and 335.8 passing yards per game and features one of the nation’s best receivers in Amari Cooper.

The Rebels — at least statistically — have the best defense in the SEC. They’re giving up just 8.5 points and 248 total yards per game.

“Something’s got to give at some point,” Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. “At the end of the day it’ll be about players making plays.”

A talented Ole Miss recruiting class from last year has matured into its sophomore season, with guys like defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche and safety Tony Connor turning into bona fide stars.

Last week against Memphis, the Rebels’ defense was nearly flawless, giving up just 104 total yards in a 24-3 victory. Third-year Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said it was the best effort he’d seen from the group since he arrived.

But that was Memphis. This is Alabama — a team that has beaten Ole Miss 10 times in a row.

The last time the Rebels won in this rivalry, Eli Manning was flinging passes around the field. This time, the key to an Ole Miss victory likely relies on the defense.

“Guys have got to embrace this any way we can,” Nkemdiche said. “We’ve got to be focused in practice and do what we’ve been doing every week. If we execute and do what we should, we’ll be good.”

Freeze said Kiffin’s arrival in Tuscaloosa has made the Tide even more of a handful, combining offensive innovation on with five-star talent all over the roster. Alabama quarterback Blake Sims completed 23 of 33 passes for 445 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Florida on Sept. 20.

Amari Cooper caught 10 of Sims’ passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. And then there is the Tide’s three-man backfield of T.J. Yeldon, Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake.

“Having the kids they have makes their schemes even better,” Freeze said. “I know Coach Saban is getting out of his kids what he wants to, and they, under Lane, have changed a bit offensively that has made them more difficult to defend.”

Alabama’s offense may look different. But the Tide say the Ole Miss defense does, too.

“They like to do a lot of movement, so we’re gonna have to be able to adjust,” Alabama fullback Jalston Fowler said. “They’ve got some quickness off the edge. Got a big man in Nkemdiche right there in the middle. So we’re gonna have to out physical this game.”

There will be one more added wrinkle to the Ole Miss defense vs. Alabama offense matchup on Saturday. Kiffin’s brother, Chris, is the defensive line coach at Ole Miss.

Freeze said it makes for some fun talk around the locker room, but probably won’t make much of a difference at game time.

“Chris will want to win and Lane will want to win,” Freeze said. “At end of the day, it’s not about Lane or Chris or Nick (Saban) or Hugh. It’s about these kids who will have to win the battles.”

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AP Sports Writer John Zenor in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, contributed to this story.

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Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP

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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