Skip to main content

A strength vs. a weakness in UC-OSU matchup

By WTOP Staff

RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — It’s unlikely that anyone at Ohio State last winter had ever heard of Gunner Kiel.

Now the unique moniker of the Cincinnati quarterback is on every Buckeye’s lips.

“It’s one of those names,” linebacker Joshua Perry said. “It’s like (with a name like) Gunner, he’ll throw the ball around.”

Kiel and his pass-happy Bearcats (2-0) come to Ohio Stadium on Saturday night to provide a daunting challenge for 22nd-ranked Ohio State and a defense that has had troubles with throwing teams in the past and is hoping to prove it has found a solution.

It’ll be an interesting matchup. The Buckeyes (2-1) will try to get to Kiel before he can duplicate his incredible numbers from his debut three weeks ago. And Kiel will try to pick his spots against a young Ohio State secondary that has yet to be really tested.

After surrendering 38.33 points and 380 passing yards per game in the final three games a year ago, Ohio State replaced safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator Everett Withers, who took the head coaching job at James Madison, with Chris Ash, who completely rethought and rebuilt the defensive philosophy. The Buckeyes, supposedly, are more aggressive and less reactive on defense, although that hasn’t been apparent in the first three games.

Now it’s time to find out whether the new approach works.

“This team is a real legitimate throwing team,” head coach Urban Meyer said. “This will be a giant test for us.”

There are good reasons why everyone is talking about Kiel, a 6-foot-4 sophomore out of Columbus, Indiana. He leads the Football Bowl Subdivision in points responsible for per game, 30 a contest. In his two career starts, he has completed 50 of 76 passes for 689 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a glittering 25 of 37 for 418 yards and a school-record tying six touchdowns in a 58-34 win over Toledo in his debut.

“He’s a guy who has a lot of confidence and looks through all his reads,” said Ohio State cornerback Doran Grant, who’ll likely see a lot of Kiel’s passes on Saturday. “He’s a talented guy. He didn’t play much last year. So we’ll see what he’s got.”

Safety Tyvis Powell added, “For the secondary, this is big. Because this is the best quarterback with the best wide-receiver group we’re going to see all season. So this is the best time to show the fans that the pass defense has improved.”

Of course, the Buckeyes are well aware it’s not just the secondary that’s under the microscope. The line has to apply some pressure, and the linebackers must do their part, too.

“We’ve got to make him feel uncomfortable,” said tackle Adolphus Washington, a Cincinnati native. “We’ve got to make him move around a little bit so he can’t just stand there and lock onto a target and get the ball down the field on us.”

Perry seconded that.

“We’ve got to put some pressure on him,” he said. “We’ll have to find some new ways to maybe get after him a little bit so they can’t throw the ball out to some of those receivers. Hopefully, the stadium will be a little loud and get in his head.”

Powell hinted that the Buckeyes had added some new wrinkles to the pass defense last week, but coach Kerry Coombs politely declined to comment.

“Each week presents opportunities for you to do things differently, and I’m sure not going to give away any secrets about what we did or didn’t do last week, next week or five weeks from now,” Coombs said, smiling sweetly. “Thanks for asking.”

___

Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RustyMillerAP

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