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Offense good, but defense still rules in Big Ten

By WTOP Staff

RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer

Pat Fitzgerald, once a stalwart linebacker and now the head coach at Northwestern, looks at the numbers put up by offenses these days and can only shake his head.

“When I was playing they’d say hold your opponent to 17 points or less and you’re going to win a lot of games,” he said with a chuckle. “And now it’s four scores. If you can keep your opponent under four touchdowns you’ve got a chance to win.”

In a day when the spread offense seems to be in command and when it appears every game ends up 45-38, there are glimmers that defenses are holding their own in the Big Ten.

Big Ten teams comprise six of the top 20 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision in total defense, five of the top 20 in scoring defense and five of the top 25 in stopping the run and also interceptions.

So even if the perception is teams are blowing up scoreboards with points, defense isn’t dead in the conference where Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler preached defense wins championships.

The pendulum swings constantly. Not so long ago, defenses adjusted to the advent of the spread attack and seemed to take the high ground. Now, however, it may be swinging the other way.

“Back in ’04, when we were at Utah, that’s the easiest. I just felt it was very easy to move the ball because teams really didn’t know how to defend the spread. You had more yardage by misalignments and mistakes by defense than certainly you did in the years following because it wasn’t a novelty,” said Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, a proponent of getting to the line quickly and squeezing off a play to surprise a gassed defense.

That’s the blueprint. An innovator comes up with a new way of moving the ball, and his defensive counterpart comes up with a way to stop it. Back and forth it goes, year after year, a never-ending struggle.

Even though eight Big Ten teams are averaging at least 28 points a game and 10 are averaging at least 26, maybe once everything shakes out over an eight-game conference season it all might be a comparative stalemate between rock and hard place.

“If the offense is ahead, the defense will catch up,” said Maryland coach Randy Edsall. “And if the defense gets ahead then the offense will catch up. It goes in cycles.”

Wisconsin head coach Gary Andersen, a former defensive coach, refuses to concede that the team with the ball has the upper hand.

“My background probably wouldn’t allow me to agree with that,” he said with a laugh.

There is ample evidence — granted, over less than half of a season — to show that defense isn’t buckling under in the Big Ten.

Consider that Wisconsin is eighth, Penn state ninth, Michigan State 11th, Iowa 15th, Ohio State 18th and Michigan 19th in total defense in the nation. In terms of preventing points, Penn State, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Iowa and Minnesota are all ranked between 10th and 19th in the country.

Of course, the Big Ten has always been prone to shutting down the run. So it’s no surprise that Penn State (second), Michigan State (fourth) and Iowa (7th) are among the best at stifling a ground game.

But Ohio State, which has been gashed by long passes over the last eight games, is still tied for fourth in interceptions among all the major programs, with four other conference teams listed in the top 25.

“For me stats get played out by the end of the season after you look at everything,” said Mark Dantonio, Michigan State’s head coach and a longtime defensive coordinator. “It’s a little bit early to lay it all out there like that, but there’s good football being played here and there’s very good coaching.”

Before joining the conference this fall, Rutgers coach Kyle Flood said he looked at film of every team. He’s not surprised that offenses aren’t running rampant.

“It’s a challenge every week,” he said. “The schemes are very sound. The players play very hard and are physical. If you want to be productive on offense in this league you’d better make plays when you get the opportunity because I don’t know how many opportunities you’re going to get.”

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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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