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Huskers’ Fyfe driven by his desire for scholarship

By WTOP Staff

ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s Ryker Fyfe has turned his frustration over being a walk-on into positive energy.

To the surprise of many, but certainly not Fyfe, the redshirt sophomore has passed heralded 2013 recruit Johnny Stanton on his way to the No. 2 quarterback’s job behind Tommy Armstrong Jr.

It’s been quite the ascent for Fyfe, whose only scholarship offer coming out of Grand Island High was from Division II Nebraska-Kearney.

“It does fuel your fire,” Fyfe said. “I thought after my senior year I’d have a bunch of offers. I was like, ‘I feel I’m a D1 player.’ “

Fyfe accepted Nebraska’s invitation to walk on and brought with him an “I’ll-show-them” attitude. He hopes to be among the players awarded scholarships at the end of the week.

Offensive coordinator Tim Beck said Nebraska didn’t have a scholarship available for Fyfe after Armstrong verbally committed to the 2012 recruiting class. That Fyfe wasn’t offered by any Division I school surprised Beck.

“I thought he was a good enough player,” Beck said, “but we didn’t really have enough to take two. Getting him was like getting two.”

It’s helped Fyfe that he has a year’s more experience than Stanton, who was on the scout team last year, and that the roster isn’t packed with quarterbacks. Four-year starter Taylor Martinez and backup Ron Kellogg III exhausted their eligibility. Four-star recruit Bubba Starling signed in 2011 but decided to pursue professional baseball, and Brion Carnes and walk-on Bronson Marsh transferred.

That left Fyfe the presumptive No. 3 QB last spring almost by default. Stanton led one of the nation’s top teams at Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Catholic High and was ranked among the top 30 quarterback prospects. With those credentials, he was considered the front-runner to be the top backup or maybe challenge Armstrong for the starter’s job.

Fyfe ramped up his underdog approach to compete with and pull even with Stanton.

“I decided I’m going to go out there and attack it,” Fyfe said. “I don’t have much to lose. I’m a walk-on and I only get to do this once, so I’m going to go out and do it and prove myself.”

After his strong showing in the spring game, Fyfe was named co-No. 2 QB with Stanton, ahead of another big-time recruit, Zack Darlington. It became apparent early in preseason practice that Fyfe had separated himself from Stanton.

“He’s a walk-on, and nothing is really given to him,” Armstrong said. “He’s earned everything. He’s in the film room, and he’s making the right decisions and he’s leading the right way. He’s in the same grade as I am, and we’re making each other better by coming out here and competing.”

Fyfe passed for 3,400 yards and 34 touchdowns his last two years of high school. He was 15-6 those two years and never advanced Grand Island past the second round of the playoffs.

That he wasn’t offered a scholarship by Nebraska followed a trend. The last homegrown quarterback who arrived in Lincoln on scholarship, and who took snaps in a game, was 2001 Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch. Kellogg, an Omaha native who split time with Armstrong last year, was put on scholarship for his final season.

“I’m sure Nebraska high school football isn’t as good as it is down in Texas or in California and Florida,” Fyfe said, naming the home states of Armstrong, Stanton and Darlington. “You’ve got kids like Johnny and Zack who won state championships, and that’s appealing to the coach’s eye. I didn’t even win in Nebraska.”

Now that he’s the top backup, he refuses to slip into complacency.

“I have to keep hold of it right here to end fall camp,” he said, “and still keep pushing Tommy every day for No. 1.”

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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