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Fitzgerald: No time to panic with Wildcats 0-2

By WTOP Staff

ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Northwestern vowed this would be a rebound season, a chance to re-establish itself after struggling down the stretch last year.

Two games in, things aren’t looking so good.

The Wildcats take a 0-2 record into Saturday’s meeting with Western Illinois, certainly not what they expected headed into their final tuneup for Big Ten play.

“We’ve lost two games by one score,” coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “I know there’s people jumping off the boat, but it’s not on fire. So chill out. But at the same time, we’ve got to win games.”

The roster took several big hits before the start of the season, with running back Venric Mark getting suspended for the first two games and then transferring. Receiver Christian Jones suffered a season-ending knee injury in a preseason practice, and things just haven’t gone the Wildcats’ way since then.

Northwestern opened with a 31-24 loss to California, coming up short after a second-half rally.

The result was no better the following week against Northern Illinois. The Wildcats dropped that game 23-15 despite racking up 394 yards on offense. The problem was drives kept getting stalled by mistakes, be it a dropped pass, penalty or sack.

It didn’t help, either, that quarterback Trevor Siemian left the game with an injury to his lower right leg, although he has said it wasn’t too serious. Defensive lineman C.J. Robbins also got ejected in the fourth quarter and was suspended for this week’s game by the Big Ten. The conference issued a public reprimand of him.

It has all added up to the worst start in Fitzgerald’s nine seasons, certainly not what the Wildcats were planning after going 5-7. They’ve dropped nine of 10 since winning the first four a year ago. And after a week off, they have one final tuneup before opening conference play at Penn State.

With that in mind, here are some things to look for as the Wildcats take on Western Illinois (2-1).

TAKE IT AWAY: Fitzgerald came into this season harping on takeaways after an uneven performance by the Wildcats in that area last season. They led the conference with 19 interceptions but tied for a league low with four fumble recoveries.

And now?

The tally so far is two interceptions, zero fumble recoveries.

“We haven’t been very successful around here when we don’t create turnovers,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s kind of a recipe for disaster.”

GETTING IN GEAR: Takeaways aren’t the only issue at the moment for Northwestern. There are a few on offense, too.

The Wildcats are averaging 19.5 points, 2.5 yards per rush and 374 yards, and that’s turned some attention toward Trevor Siemian.

With Kain Colter gone, the Wildcats don’t have a running quarterback. But Fitzgerald said this week he’s not considering going back to a two-man rotation at QB. He also pointed out that Northwestern’s offense has succeeded in the past without a running quarterback.

RUN FOR IT: The losses of Colter and Mark help explain the low rushing numbers to some extent. One bright spot — Justin Jackson.

A true freshman, he has carried 20 times for a team-high 92 yards and is averaging 4.6 per carry.

He figures to be tested by a team that held one of the nation’s top running backs — Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon — to 38 yards two weeks ago.

ABOUT WESTERN ILLINOIS: Western Illinois lost 37-3 to Wisconsin two weeks ago after hanging in for two quarters. The Fighting Leathernecks trailed by six at halftime before Badgers quarterback Tanner McEvoy took over, shaking off a slow start to throw for three touchdowns and run for another.

Against Drake last week, Trenton Norvell threw for 205 yards and J.C. Baker ran for 130 in a 38-13 victory. The Leathernecks also registered seven sacks, the most for them since 2002.

CATCHING ‘CATS: The Wildcats are missing their top two receivers from last year, with Christian Jones out for the season and Tony Jones (lower body injury) missing his second straight game. Senior Kyle Prater helped fill the void against Northern Illinois, recording career highs with seven catches and 87 yards.

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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