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Icing kickers might not matter in the 4th quarter

By WTOP Staff

LUKE MEREDITH
AP Sports Writer

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — It was a split-second decision that reignited a classic debate in college football: Does icing the kicker actually work?

Last Saturday, Iowa State was on Iowa’s 24-yard line with 2 seconds left and the game tied at 17. Cyclones sophomore kicker Cole Netten was about to attempt the biggest kick of his life for a road team desperate to end a two-game skid. Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz used his final timeout, presumably to give Netten a moment to let all that sink in.

Netten kicked it anyway. He hooked it left.

Iowa’s timeout gave Netten another shot at the same kick. It went right down the middle, giving Iowa State a 20-17 victory over their hated rivals.

“That’s one thing I haven’t stayed up late thinking about. It hasn’t woken me up,” said Ferentz, who called the concept of icing a kicker a “50-50 thing” after the game.

Ferentz is right: The numbers suggests that when it matters most, a timeout really doesn’t matter.

Since 2012, there have been 110 instances in the Bowl Subdivision where a team attempted a field goal in the final 2 minutes of the fourth quarter either trailing by 3 or tied, according to research by STATS.

Opponents iced the kicker 50 times. The ensuing field goal went through 72 percent of the time.

Opponents left the kicker alone 60 times. The conversion rate was 73.3 percent.

For many coaches, there isn’t a general rule of thumb in such situations.

“I’ve done it a few times. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said.

Wake Forest’s Dave Clawson said he’ll occasionally use a timeout to make sure his players understand their blocking schemes and are alert for possible fakes. Clawson added that if the opponent seems to be rushing things, it doesn’t make sense to stop and let them breathe.

Syracuse coach Scott Shafer called icing “overrated.”

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn knows how underrated it can be. He iced Alabama’s Adam Griffith before his 57-yard attempt in last year’s Iron Bowl simply because Griffith was replacing the Tide’s normal kicker.

But it also gave the Tigers a moment to realize that putting the explosive Chris Davis in the end zone wasn’t such a bad idea.

“We had time to think about the thing,” Malzahn said.

And 109 yards later, Davis was in the opposite end zone following one of the most memorable plays in college football history.

Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez was watching the Iowa-Iowa State game live. He agreed with Ferentz’s decision. But Rodriguez also cautioned that “sometimes when you give him time to focus…he’ll make it the second time.”

That’s exactly what happened to Netten. He said the brief breather gave him time to “regain his focus.”

Even Ferentz has been on both sides of the debate.

Ferentz was an assistant at Iowa in 1985 when No. 2 Michigan called timeout ahead of Rob Houghtlin’s 29-yard try with 2 seconds left and the top-ranked Hawkeyes down 10-9. It didn’t work then either.

Houghtlin nailed it — from the same end of Kinnick Stadium but 13 yards closer than Netten was — to give Iowa a huge win.

“Probably should go back to ’85. Didn’t work in ’85. Should probably just hang my hat on that one,” Ferentz said.

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AP Sports Writers John Marshall, John Zenor and Aaron Beard contributed to this report.

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Follow Luke Meredith on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LukeMeredithAP

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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