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Hill leads BYU over UConn, spoiling Diaco’s debut

By WTOP Staff

PAT EATON-ROBB
Associated Press

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — BYU quarterback Taysom Hill says he had a serious case of the butterflies before his season opener at UConn.

The Cougars began last year with a trip to the East Coast and a loss to Virginia, and this year they were traveling without several key players who were under suspension.

“Most of the time, I don’t get that nervous before games,” Hill said. “Looking at it, it was just because we had a lot of unknowns.”

There was no need to worry.

The junior threw three touchdown passes and ran for two scores to help BYU beat UConn 35-10 on Friday night.

Hill completed 28 of 36 passes to nine receivers without an interception. He went 17 of 20 to lead the Cougars to a 28-7 halftime advantage, and was BYU’s leading rusher with 97 yards on 12 carries.

“He was resilient and methodical and 28 points in the first half was ideal and that was something I was hoping to see,” BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said.

The Cougars put up 513 yards of offense, 329 of that before intermission.

UConn’s Bob Diaco played 50 Huskies in his head coaching debut.

Sophomore Casey Cochran and senior Chandler Whitmer split quarterback duties and threw for a combined 284 yards. Cochran was 17 of 31 for 171 yards. He also threw an interception on the Huskies’ second drive deep in BYU territory. Whitmer was 8 of 17 for 113 yards.

“That’s the point you’re at right now,” Diaco said. “For the players to get better, they have to play in games.”

BYU played without a handful of regulars. Tailback Jamaal Williams and wide receiver Devon Blackmon announced their own suspensions for school honor code violations. Defensive tackle Marques Johnson and starting cornerbacks Jordan Johnson and Robertson Daniel also were suspended for unspecified violations of team rules. Receiver Nick Kurtz missed the game because of a stress fracture in his foot.

Mendenhall says he expects all of the suspended players back next week against Texas.

BYU got off to a quick start.

Hill, who last year ran for more than 1,300 yards and passed for just under 3,000, capped the Cougars’ opening 15-play, 75-yard drive with a 7-yard run. He then found Mitch Mathews wide open over the middle from 26 yards out, after tailback Max DeLorenzo fumbled on the Huskies’ first offensive play.

Hill danced away from pressure late in the first half and found Terenn Houk open to his left for a 35-yard touchdown catch-and-run that made it 28-7 at the half.

The quarterback capped the game with a 26-yard touchdown run to complete a 90-yard, fourth-quarter drive that sent the fans to the exits.

“This is an excellent offensive system,” Mendenhall said. “I think you can see the potential, and that’s what’s exciting to me.”

Penalties slowed the Cougars a bit. They committed 15 of them for 150 yards. UConn was flagged eight times for 90 yards.

A fumble by BYU’s Mathews at midfield led to UConn’s only touchdown. Whitmer led the Huskies on a six-play drive that ended with freshman Josh Merriner scoring from a yard out in the second quarter.

Bobby Puyol made a 35-yard field goal for UConn in the fourth quarter.

The Huskies put together an 11-play drive to start the second half, but failed after faking a 40-yard field goal.

UConn’s top receiver, Geremy Davis, finished with seven catches for 96 yards. He spent some time in the fourth quarter in the locker room, but returned before the end of the game.

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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