Skip to main content

Dolphins experiment with Koa Misi at MLB

By WTOP Staff

STEVEN WINE
AP Sports Writer

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins linebacker Koa Misi says he’s looking forward to the team’s annual fishing tournament this weekend, when he hopes to end a slump.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Misi said. “But I seem to get on a boat that doesn’t catch too many fish. Hopefully this year that will change.”

With the season three months away, the Dolphins are casting about for ways to improve their defense, which is why Misi found himself at middle linebacker during Monday’s offseason practice.

He spent his first four NFL seasons mostly at strong-side linebacker, but the Miami coaching staff believes Misi might be better suited to clogging up the middle for a team that ranked 24th in rushing defense and 21st in yards allowed in 2013.

The switch is an experiment instigated when the Dolphins began offseason workouts. Misi swapped spots with Dannell Ellerbe, who moved from the middle to the outside in Miami’s 4-3 scheme.

Philip Wheeler remains at weak-side linebacker, where second-year pro Jelani Jenkins could challenge him for playing time.

Linebacker was considered a weakness last year for the Dolphins, but they didn’t address the area with a major acquisition in free agency or the draft, and now coach Joe Philbin is looking at the position switch as a possible remedy.

The 6-foot-3, 254-pound Misi was considered the best of the three starting linebackers last season. He won praise for his sound fundamentals, sure tackling and run-stopping skills.

“One of the things I’ve liked about him is when we do a year-end video cutup and show examples of how to take on a block, tackle properly and pursue to the ball, he shows up on a lot of those cuts,” Philbin said.

“He plays the right way. And he has great leadership qualities. So we want to take a look at him in the interior. We’ll see how he adjusts to that position and relates to the other players and the defense in general. So far he has done a nice job.”

Defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle said the switch is a work in progress, but he likes the idea of Misi in the middle.

“He has such a physical presence,” Coyle said. “When Koa hits you, you stay hit for a while. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve used Koa as the example of, ‘This is how you compete each and every snap on defense.'”

Misi has been used at both outside linebacker spots and played a little defensive end early in his career, so he’s accustomed to position changes.

“Since I got here I’ve been switching positions,” he said. “I’m always open to try something new. If it works, it works. If not, well go back to the way things were.”

Ellerbe said his attitude is the same. He played four seasons at outside linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens before replacing an injured Ray Lewis in the middle during their Super Bowl championship season in 2012.

He moved back to the middle when he joined the Dolphins last year.

“Whatever will help the team, I’m down for,” Ellerbe said. “It doesn’t matter where we play.”

In the middle, Misi said, he must adjust to the heavier traffic and change the way he reads keys. In addition, playing in the middle — the mike position — requires that the laid-back Misi assume more of a leadership role.

“Mike is the leader of the defense,” he said. “It forces you to be more vocal. You’ve got to make all the calls, and you have to know pretty much the whole defense to get in the right spot to make a play.”

The experiment will likely continue the rest of this week at least, with two more practices scheduled.

“I can’t commit today to say that it’s a done deal,” Coyle said, “but certainly I like what we’re seeing.”

___

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

___

Follow Steven Wine on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Steve_Wine

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote