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Petrino begins game-week prep with Louisville

By WTOP Staff

GARY B. GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Bobby Petrino looked serious as he walked into his first game-week news conference as Louisville’s coach. His mood was understandable considering he was about to announce that top receiver DeVante Parker would miss nearly two months with a broken toe.

Petrino departed a half-hour later appearing more upbeat after discussing a Cardinals team he believes can overcome that setback with a deep receiving corps and a defense that returns several starters. The hard part is waiting until next Monday night to prove it.

But Petrino relishes having extra time to prepare for his second debut coaching Louisville, which will host Miami in the season opener. The game will be the Cardinals’ Atlantic Coast Conference debut and their coach is eager to make a good first impression.

“This is now game week and now they’re trying to get in the best position where they can play the best game that they have,” said Petrino, who coached Louisville from 2003-06.

“If you go out as a team and as a player and all you’re worried about is the end result, you end up losing a lot of games. What we need to worry about is playing one play at time, our performance and doing things that give you a chance to win games.”

Louisville’s offense will be challenged to offset the absence of Parker, who broke the fifth metatarsal (small toe) in his left foot in practice Friday night. He was scheduled to undergo surgery Monday afternoon in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will be sidelined six to eight weeks.

Petrino believes the Cardinals’ abundance of quick and reliable receivers such as Eli Rogers, Kai De La Cruz, James Quick and tight end Gerald Christian are ready to make up the difference.

“We just got to do a good job of making sure that they’re fresh out there and at full speed coming off the ball,” Petrino said.

The coach settled one matter Sunday night by naming sophomore Will Gardner as his starting quarterback. Considered all along as the favorite to succeed Teddy Bridgewater, Gardner locked up the job in fall camp. However, Petrino hinted that freshman Reggie Bonnafon could spell Gardner for several series.

However long Gardner plays, he’s confident about executing the offense even without its go-to target.

“I feel like I have a good grasp of the offense and the defenses that we’ll see and make good decisions,” Gardner said, adding, “it’s tough when you lose a guy like DeVante. But with the guys we have at receiver, I know they’re going to step up and have a great game against Miami.”

Louisville’s other concern is the status of senior backup tailback Michael Dyer, who hasn’t practiced since bruising his thigh in last week’s scrimmage. Petrino wouldn’t declare Dyer out for the Hurricanes but said the next couple of days are critical in determining his availability and preparation for the game.

The Cardinals will practice every day with the game-week routine kicking in on Thursday. The extended schedule allows Gardner and his receivers to connect while their defense continues breaking in seven new starters along with switching from a 4-3 base set to a 3-4.

The new alignment’s success will depend on veterans such as senior outside linebacker/end Lorenzo Mauldin, who had 9.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss last season as a down lineman. His enthusiasm to make it work for real might explain why Petrino left the room feeling better than when he entered.

Said Mauldin, “Now that it’s game week, we can set our minds to Miami instead of just learning all the plays.”

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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