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Army-Navy very much a ground game

By WTOP Staff

By JOSEPH WHITE
AP Sports Writer

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) – In the NFL, Tim Tebow is bringing the triple option back. At Army and Navy, they figure it never went out of style.

Plan the trips to the kitchen accordingly – because the clock should run and run and run some more, just as the teams like to do, when the academies reconvene Saturday for the 112th edition of one of the most special rivalries in sports.

“Honestly, coming in, when I initially got recruited and found out we were going to be running the triple option, I was kind of a little disappointed,” said Army senior Max Jenkins, one of three quarterbacks to start a game for the Black Knights this season, “because I came from a passing offense in high school that threw the ball 30 times a game.”

Now he’s a convert. When his brother brought up the topic at Thanksgiving, Jenkins had a ready explanation for his change of heart.

“Actually being in it, you learn to appreciate what it does,” Jenkins said. “It’s not just trying to spread the field and throw it to the superior athlete. It really does take a team effort and all 11 guys in this offense, and if one guy messes up, we’re going to get a loss of a couple of yards.

“But when everybody’s working together and it’s all clicking, it’s pretty fun to have those 13-, 14-play touchdown drives and wear down defenses.”

Army has the top rushing offense in the nation, averaging 350.9 yards per game. Navy is fourth at 313.7. Army has thrown only 91 passes all season, by far the fewest among FBS schools. Navy has the next fewest, having tossed the ball just 132 times.

“Once I started to finally understand it, I think this is the coolest offense there is,” Navy fullback Alexander Teich said. “You leave three guys at the point of attack unblocked, that’s almost unheard of in any other kind of offense. It’s a fast-hit, quick-play, quick-hit, big-play kind of offense. You look at how many plays you have over 30 yards over the course of the season.”

The triple option has been an unqualified success for Navy over the years, but a porous defense means the Midshipmen (4-7) won’t be going to a bowl this season, ending a run of eight straight postseason appearances.

But the game against Army (3-8) is a bigger deal anyway, and the Mids’ streak of nine consecutive wins over the Black Knights is what really counts. Navy has been truly dominant in the series, winning every game since 2002 by at least a dozen points.

“We talk about the brotherhood and not letting the tradition fall,” Teich said. “You don’t want to let that ball drop while it’s in your hands, so this game is big for us to continue that success and really to erase this whole entire season. It would make all those losses feel a lot better and heal a lot of wounds.”

Army, of course, figures this might be the year to finally come out on top. No one wants to be part of yet another class that never won the biggest game of the season.

“For the senior class, this is our last chance to beat Navy, and we’re well aware of that,” Army linebacker Andrew Rodriguez said. “I was talking a lot to the younger guys, it always seems like you’re going to have more chances, but the time goes by so fast and so you want to take advantage of every opportunity you get, and we feel we have a good opportunity to win this year.”

These teams usually have the element of novelty working in their favor – most colleges aren’t used to defending the triple option – but this is a game where both sides know how to defend the other.

“I think we’re contrarians in some regard,” Army coach Rich Ellerson said, “but I think the practitioners of the game recognize the obvious, recognize the opportunity, when you’re doing something that everybody else doesn’t do.

“The fact that we’re somewhat unique to most of the people we play is a tremendous advantage for us. It mitigates some of those maybe physical disadvantages and got us in some games. We didn’t win a bunch of games, but we were competitive in a bunch of games this year that we might not have been had we not been doing something as unique as we are.”

Here’s another reason the clock won’t stop as much: Both schools, as would be expected, are extremely disciplined. Navy has committed just 26 penalties all season – best in the country – and while Army has the third fewest (44).

The tradition-filled day – which includes pregame marches and fly-bys by both academies – has a new setting this year. The game is being played in the vicinity of the nation’s capital for the first time, with the Washington Redskins stadium playing host as a break from the usual site in Philadelphia.

“We’ve got a longer bus ride than they do,” said Ellerson, noting that Navy’s home in Annapolis is just down the road. “But, beyond that, it’s entirely appropriate that this game gets played here from time to time.”

—
Joseph White can be reached at Http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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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