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Defense rules at Florida, at least under Muschamp

By WTOP Staff

MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Whether he’s screaming from the sideline or punching a white board in the locker room, Florida’s Will Muschamp knows defense.

It’s what he played.

It’s what he coached.

It’s what the Gators have done best during his tenure.

Often overshadowed by a woeful offense, Florida’s defense has set a pretty high standard during Muschamp’s first three seasons in Gainesville. The Gators have ranked no lower than eighth nationally in total defense, giving up less than 300 yards a game with Muschamp in charge.

And despite losing the team’s best pass rusher and several starters in the secondary, Florida expects to be defensively stout again this season.

“Absolutely,” Muschamp said last week. “We’ll play well. … We have the key ingredients of what you want, in my opinion. Now we got to go do it. Talk is cheap.”

The Gators have nothing to boast about after last season. They lost their final seven games, missed a bowl game and ended up with their first losing record since 1979.

Little went right, not even on defense.

Florida was gouged at times, giving up 500 yards in a loss at Missouri, allowing 429 yards rushing in a shocking home defeat to lower-division Georgia Southern and then surrendering 456 yards in a season-ending setback against in-state rival and eventual national champion Florida State.

It was uncharacteristic for a unit that had kept Florida in several games throughout the season. But key injuries — the Gators lost defensive end Dominique Easley in xxx — played a factor. So did a lack of confidence in the team’s much-maligned offense, which had personnel and coaching issues that eventually carried over to the other side of the ball.

“We had some individualism on the team last year,” linebacker Mike Taylor said. “Last year it was more, ‘I got me. I got this.’ This year, it’s more, ‘We, us, team.’ It’s not ‘I.’ It’s more team. We’re more together.”

The Gators get their first chance to show 2013 was a fluke Saturday when they open the season against Idaho, which has just four wins over the last three seasons.

Muschamp has repeatedly expressed confidence that his team will make a quick turnaround, much like fellow Southeastern Conference teams Auburn and Missouri did last season.

Although Muschamp expects the offense to be markedly better under new coordinator Kurt Roper, he’s equally convinced the defense will return to form.

The unit lost Easley, who turned pro after a season-ending knee injury in September, and defensive backs Loucheiz Purifoy, Marcus Roberson and Jaylen Watkins.

But the Gators have two budding stars in defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. and cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III.

Fowler, a 6-foot-3, 260-pound junior from St. Petersburg, has just six sacks in two seasons. He’s been the team’s best pass rusher in camp, but whether he has a breakout year could depend on the guys around him. After all, if fellow starting linemen Jonathan Bullard, Leon Orr and Darious Cummings aren’t disruptive, opponents surely will chip and double Fowler or roll quarterbacks away from his side.

“That’s something we’ve talked about and know it could happen,” defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin said. “We do enough up front to move Dante around and that’s a hard thing to do because he doesn’t play in one spot.”

Hargreaves will move around, too.

The 5-11 sophomore from Tampa started 10 games as a freshman and finished with 11 pass breakups and three interceptions. His breakups equaled the most by a true freshman in school history, matching what Janoris Jenkins did in 2008.

“He’s really stepped up as a leader. We’ve seen him grow in that area,” Durkin said. “Vernon still understands he’s got to get better and he still has things to work on and we push him on that every day and he does a great job. He practices hard, prepares well and we expect big things from him.”

Muschamp said the same about the entire defense.

He believes the unit is strong up the middle and at linebacker. The weak leak could be the secondary, where only Hargreaves and safety Keanu Neal have locked down starting spots.

So there is some uncertainty, but given Muschamp’s track record, there’s no cause for concern.

“We feel like we have enough talent to do whatever we want to do and accomplish our goals,” Bullard said. “We’re just working as hard as we can and getting the best we can as a unit and getting everybody on the same page. If we do that, we’ll be fine.”

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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