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After 1 great game, 49ers defense looks to build

By WTOP Staff

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco’s once-dominant defense is beginning to rediscover the swagger that has defined this unit in recent years.

Second-year safety Eric Reid and several of his defensive teammates were thrilled with the way they kept Philadelphia quarterback Nick Foles from beating them last week. The Eagles didn’t even get past midfield until the closing minutes of the 26-21 victory by the 49ers, and San Francisco did it without a single penalty on the defensive side.

The 49ers (2-2) realize if they are unable repeat such an effort against Alex Smith and the Chiefs (2-2) this Sunday, last week will all be for naught.

“This one doesn’t mean anything if we don’t get another win next week,” Reid said. “It was huge. We needed a win, we needed it to kickstart our season.”

San Francisco had given up costly plays in the passing game while losing to Chicago in Week 2, then experienced problems stopping the run in a defeat at Arizona the following week.

The 49ers defense held the Eagles to 213 total yards, including just 22 rushing, for the lowest total under Philadelphia coach Chip Kelly.

San Francisco features the NFC’s top run defense with 69.8 yards allowed, and second-best in the NFL behind the Jets (63.3). The Niners have surrendered only 152 yards rushing in their past three games, fewest by the team over a three-game stretch since 1997.

On Sunday, the Chiefs present another challenge altogether with a talented, two-headed running back tandem in All-Pro Jamaal Charles and the guy who has emerged as a perfect complement, Knile Davis. Charles scored three touchdowns in Monday night’s rout of the Patriots, two of those TD receptions.

“It’s a very complex offense, they do a lot of different things,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Thursday. “Alex is a very athletic and fast quarterback that sometimes people forget about but it stands out when you watch the tape. The offense is operating at a high level for them coming off that game.”

San Francisco has plenty of familiarity with the man under center — 2005 No. 1 overall draft pick Smith, traded by the 49ers to the Chiefs in March 2013.

Asked Thursday about getting any tips from coach Jim Harbaugh about defending Smith, Fangio said that’s unnecessary.

“I was here, too, for that time period,” he said of the tail end of Smith’s tenure. “Sometimes too much study is paralysis by over-analysis. I watched the tape and prepared for him like any other quarterback. I saw him play a lot of those games and in practice.”

Fangio’s new-look secondary has come into its own.

Perrish Cox has proved a reliable replacement for injured starting cornerback Tramaine Brock.

“We always come in with a lot of confidence,” Cox said. “I think these past two weeks, those games we were up going into the half. We just didn’t finish. All week long, we wanted to finish. Just keep pounding. Like I said, as a team, we did it together.”

When Brock does return from a toe injury, it’s unclear who will start.

“We’ll figure that out then,” Fangio said.

Safety Antoine Bethea earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week after making his first interception since joining the 49ers to go with a forced fumble and seven tackles.

“Words can’t describe some of the plays he made out there,” linebacker Patrick Willis said. “He was all over the place.”

Reid and Bethea have found a rhythm, while offering as much help to rookie nickel back Jimmie Ward as possible.

Reid, for one, isn’t as familiar with Smith this week given that the quarterback was already gone when the 49ers selected Reid with their top draft choice last year.

“It might be a little strange for some guys who were close with him, but he’s an opponent now so we’ve got to beat him,” Reid said.

NOTES: Asked about rookie Aaron Lynch’s swift improvement, Fangio cracked, “Good coaching.” … TE Vernon Davis (back spasms) and RT Anthony Davis (knee), both hurt against the Eagles, weren’t practicing when the afternoon workout began.

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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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