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Bama players motivated by sour ending to season

By WTOP Staff

JOHN ZENOR
AP Sports Writer

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — Alabama receiver Amari Cooper has been through the offseasons filled with talk of repeat national championships, and now he’s endured one that began with sour memories not celebratory confetti showers.

Cooper has no doubt which is more motivating.

“The losses,” he said Thursday. “It humbles you and it makes you hungry and aware of how losing feels, and you don’t want to feel that way again.”

The Crimson Tide was once again declared the Southeastern Conference favorite in media voting at the league’s media days, and is regarded as one of the likely national contenders.

That’s nothing new.

Nevertheless, the mood has been as different as the memories. Alabama was roughed up by Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl and that came after Auburn’s 109-yard return of a missed field goal on the Iron Bowl’s final play, which has seemed to Landon Collins to be on an endless loop ever since.

“It shows on TV every day,” the Tide safety said. “It beats in our heart every day. I get sick. I have to turn it off.”

The unhappy ending to last season left coach Nick Saban’s concerns less about complacency and more about getting back to doing what led to three national titles in four years. As he put it, players and coaches must “check your ego at the door.”

Alabama is still seeking a replacement to quarterback AJ McCarron, a race that has come down to Blake Sims and Florida State transfer Jake Coker. Plus the latest crop to leave for the NFL must be replaced.

“We’re basically an unproven team in some areas,” Saban said. “There’s a lot of question marks because of the players that we lost and the players that we have coming in.”

It hasn’t changed the way Alabama is regarded: As the team to beat in the SEC.

League media picked Alabama to win the West over defending league champion Auburn, and the overall title, in balloting released Thursday. South Carolina was picked to top Georgia in the East.

Saban noted that SEC reporters have only been right five times in the last 22 years.

“You’ve been wrong the last five years in a row,” he said. “Every year that we won the championship you picked somebody else. To be kind, it doesn’t mean anything. I’m rooting for you now. You’re all my good buddies.”

Despite that light note, Saban spent much of his time at the podium talking about disciplinary issues both on his team and, in general, college football and today’s youth.

The Tide had a pair of players arrested in the two weeks leading up to media days, running back Kenyan Drake and defensive lineman Jarran Reed.

Saban said both players are “suspended from activity” with the team.

“When they prove that I think or we think that they’re ready to come back and show a little bit more responsibility and discipline for how they handle themselves, their decision-making, how they represent the university, their family and themselves, then we’ll allow them to come back on the team,” he said. “We’re not making that judgment right now.”

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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