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Sims starts, No. 2 Alabama beats WVU, 33-23

By WTOP Staff

RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — Blake Sims took a seat on the bench next to Jake Coker after leading Alabama to a score and the two chatted for a few minutes before it was time for the offense to go back on the field.

Conversation was the only thing Sims and Coker shared at the Georgia Dome. The quarterback job, Sims had that all to himself.

The fifth-year senior played well enough in his first career start to keep playing, getting plenty of help from Amari Cooper, T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry, and the second-ranked Crimson Tide held off West Virginia 33-23 on Saturday.

Sims was 24 for 33 for 250 yards, added 42 running, threw one interception in the fourth quarter, and took every meaningful offensive snap.

Tide coach Nick Saban said leading into the game that both Sims and Coker, the Florida State transfer, might play but there was only one point during the game that he thought about pulling the starter.

It came in the second quarter.

“And it wasn’t his play, it was … he called a couple formations wrong in the huddle, he called a couple plays wrong,” Saban said of Sims. “There was some confusion on the field.”

Saban said he suggested going to a no-huddle offense to new coordinator, and former Southern California coach, Lane Kiffin, and the tempo helped settle Sims.

“But all in all for him to throw for 250 yards, he did a pretty good job of executing all in all and I’m happy with his progress,” Saban said.

He added “We’re looking forward to how we can help him improve as well as Jake, too.”

So the quarterback competition might not be closed.

“I’ll leave that to Coach Saban,” Sims said.

Yeldon (126 yards rushing and two touchdowns), Henry (113 yards rushing and a score) and Cooper (12 catches for 130 yards) provided ample support. And Alabama needed all the offense it could get because West Virginia found plenty of soft spots in the Tide’s D.

The Mountaineers’ up-tempo spread gave Clint Trickett his pick of open receivers, and he took advantage with 365 yards passing.

But West Virginia didn’t take full advantage, dropping more than a half-dozen catchable pass, including one off the hands of Elijah Wellman near the goal line that would have been a sure TD early in the fourth quarter.

“Yeah, it’s frustrating,” West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said of the final result. “You play against a really good team and you’re in position in the fourth quarter to be able to win the game. I mean you don’t have those opportunities very often.”

Coming off a 4-8 season, West Virginia was a 26½-point underdog. They didn’t play that way. Mario Alford returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score with 1:43 left in the first half to tie the game at 17-17.

“We really had the confidence that we were going to compete,” Trickett said.

Henry scored the only touchdown of the second half on a 19-yard run midway through the third quarter to put Alabama up 27-17. It was all field goals from there.

Coker warmed up briefly on the sideline in the second quarter after Saban told him to get ready, but that was it until it was time for victory formation at the end.

Saban has another Tide team ready to roll. The biggest question in the preseason was who would replace quarterback AJ McCarron, but it sure looked as if a defense that struggled at times last year against spread offenses could be a problem again for the Tide.

Maybe the bigger question is who will replace All-American middle linebacker C.J. Mosley. The Tide were also missing linebacker Trey DePriest, held out one game for an undisclosed NCAA violation.

Saban called his defense “soft” during a TV interview at the half, but postgame said the problems had a lot to do with lack of communication between the new linebackers and the secondary.

No matter who plays quarterback for Alabama, he’ll have a treasure trove of talent with which to work.

“We definitely we want to be physical running the ball, pass blocking and being effective as receivers,” Henry said. “Anything we can help out Blake in any way, we’re going to try to do.”

The Tide even got a 4-for-4 performance on field goals (47, 41, 27, 45) out of Adam Griffith, the kicker who came up short on the field goal that Auburn returned for a TD to win the Iron Bowl last year.

Saban wasn’t about to sound any alarms after one game, even if some Alabama fans might have expected it to be easier.

“I thought this game was going to be,” Saban said, “exactly like it was.”

___

Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP

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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