Skip to main content

Bears’ Tucker has chance to make mark on defense

By WTOP Staff

ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (AP) — Given the overhaul, this sure seems like coordinator Mel Tucker’s big chance to make his mark on the Chicago Bears’ defense.

He would rather not acknowledge it.

Tucker shrugged off the idea that this is his time to put his stamp on things even though he has a rebuilt roster that now includes Jared Allen and is no longer running former coach Lovie Smith’s scheme as he enters his second season.

“It’s a ‘we’ thing,” he said Sunday. “It’s not my stamp or any particular coach’s stamp or any particular player. It’s our brand of football, which is best condition, technique of fundamentals, smart, fast and physical. That’s what we need to be.”

To many, this could be a “Tucker thing.”

The Bears are looking for more from a defense that ranked among the worst in franchise history a year ago and are hoping to get back to the playoffs for just the second time since the 2006 team’s Super Bowl run.

They boasted one of the league’s most prolific offenses last season — coach Marc Trestman’s first — but missed the postseason at 8-8 because they simply couldn’t stop anyone. Injuries played a big role, but so did poor execution. That left many wondering if Tucker was the right man for the job.

He stayed on. Now, he has another chance.

“I think that Mel certainly gathered a lot of information about our football players that are with us now,” Trestman said. “I think he feels very good about the coaches we have surrounded him with to help him to his job. And I think he’ll utilize certainly what he learned about our team and the relationships he’s developed with our players and our coaches to move forward.”

Gone is Smith’s cover-2 defense. Now, Tucker is implementing his system.

He’s using different terminology and different schemes this time around after sticking with what had been in place for years. He did that last season because the Bears had so many returning starters and a long history of success in Smith’s system.

They’re still going with a 4-3 set, but they plan to mix up their alignments. There will be differences in how they approach the run.

Tucker has new assistants in defensive line coach Paul Pasqualoni, assistant line coach Clint Hurtt and linebackers coach Reggie Herring and a revamped lineup that has expectations soaring.

The biggest addition, of course, is Allen, the five-time Pro Bowl defensive end. But it’s more than just him.

The Bears also brought in defensive ends Lamarr Houston and Willie Young. They get a full season with Jeremiah Ratliff, the four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle who signed with Chicago in November after being released by Dallas.

Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman and D.J. Williams are all healthy after missing significant time, and the Bears believe they are poised to make a big jump after being historically bad on defense last season.

They tied Jacksonville with a league-low 31 sacks and did nothing to stop the run. The 2,583 yards rushing and 5.3 per carry they allowed were both club records. But with so many players going down, it was hard to pin all the struggles on Tucker.

Now, the defense gets a fresh start.

“I’m really excited for (Tucker), on a personal level, and excited for our defense and what we’ve put together in terms of talent level, our draft, our free agency acquisitions and our coaches,” Trestman said. “It’s going to be exciting to watch it build on a day-to-day basis.

“It’s an opportunity. Everybody’s starting over.”

NOTES: Rookie P Patrick O’Donnell drew the biggest cheers Sunday when he booted one about 70 yards or so and was serenaded with “mega punt!” chants when he stepped onto the field. “… The Bears waived G James Dunbar, an undrafted rookie from Texas Christian.

___

AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.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
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