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Hoosiers hopeful of defensive improvement

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Indiana coach Kevin Wilson senses this will be a turnaround season for his defense.

He can see it on film, and he can hear it in the voices of his players. It’s enough to make Wilson optimistic that a flurry of offseason changes may finally give the Hoosiers the kind of defense that could get them to a bowl game.

“Going through our first walk through, they are significantly louder than I’ve ever heard a defense since I’ve been here,” Wilson said Monday, his fourth media day at Indiana. “Communication is what you need. You need to get the call and get lined up. … When you’re unsure as a player, you’re quiet.”

But before speaking up, the Hoosiers needed a major shake-up.

They finished last in the Big Ten league in scoring defense and yards allowed per game each of the past three years, and were getting progressively worse in the yardage department. Though, the Hoosiers allowed a Big Ten-worst 38.8 points and 527.9 yards last season, that wasn’t even the worst part. Indiana shattered Northwestern’s previous league record for most yards allowed in conference play with an astounding 560.2. The Wildcats allowed 524.7 during a winless 1981 season.

Despite all of those problems, Indiana still managed to go from 1-11 to 4-8 to 5-7 over Wilson’s first three seasons.

Wilson began his overhaul in January by firing defensive coordinator Doug Mallory, the son of Indiana’s beloved former head coach Bill Mallory, and defensive line coach Jon Fabris.

Ten days later, he hired Brian Knorr, the former Ohio head coach and Wake Forest defensive coordinator, as Mallory’s replacement. Knorr will work with defensive ends and outside linebackers this season.

Knorr quickly converted Indiana’s 4-3 defense into a 3-4, moved defensive lineman Nick Mangieri to outside linebacker and started devising new ways to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Players embraced the changes almost immediately.

“I love the blitz packages,” linebacker Flo Hardin said. “I asked (quarterback) Nate (Sudfeld) in the spring about them, and he said he could never tell where the guys were going to come from.”

While Knorr has mastered the art of taking seemingly undersized players and turning them into all-league players, he starts with a stronger hand at Indiana.

The Hoosiers opened practice Monday with 286-pound Bobby Richardson, 307-pound Adarius Rayner and 325-pound Ralph Green III listed as the defensive line starters, and Mangieri, 260 pounds, and 240-pound David Cooper as the No. 1 outside linebackers.

Knorr also has 14 of his top 15 tacklers back from last season, including nine starters and cornerback Tim Bennett, who led the nation with 20 pass breakups in 2013.

“We looked at how many points we gave up and how many turnovers we created (17) versus other fast, up-tempo teams and we’re going to be on the field a little more,” Knorr said. “We embrace that as an opportunity. But takeaways are something that’s going to be very important to us because if we get those, that’s two or three more (offensive) possessions per game.”

The philosophical changes have been noticeable as the Hoosiers went through spring practice and summer workouts.

Hardin said he was eager to show off Indiana’s new physical, aggressive style, and Bennett smiled when asked about the emphasis on turnovers.

“It’s controlled chaos out there,” Bennett said. “If the quarterback doesn’t know what’s going on, you can take advantage of that split second and step in front of a receiver and take it away.”

But the most promising sign of a turnaround might are the subtleties Wilson has noticed in practice, like the noise level.

“I saw it every day. I saw a team that had a vibe and a bounce. I think as much as anything, not schematics or schemes or anything in coaching, I just think it’s where the kids are,” Wilson said. “We’ve just recruited harder and tried to develop. It’s still not close to where it ought to be. I didn’t say it’s what we want. We have a long way to go to what we needed to get to as a team.”

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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