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Hill’s 4 TD passes lead No. 9 A&M over Lamar 73-3

By WTOP Staff

KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin worried about how his team would respond when Saturday night’s game against Lamar was delayed by more than two hours because of lightning.

His fears were quickly allayed.

Kenny Hill threw for 283 yards and four touchdowns in less than three quarters as No. 9 Texas A&M rolled to a 73-3 win over Lamar in front of the largest crowd for a college game in Texas history.

It was the first game in the newly renovated and expanded Kyle Field and drew a record crowd of 104,728.

After delay of 2 hours, 5 minutes, Texas A&M (2-0) wasted no time getting going. Hill found Speedy Noil for a 44-yard pass on his first throw and Trey Williams had a 33-yard touchdown run two plays later to make it 7-0.

“It was a weird set of circumstances to start the game,” Sumlin said. “For young guys I was worried about how they would handle it, but they were excited to play. I think the crowd had a big part in that when we came back out. I was shocked that everybody was still there and it was a great atmosphere to start the game.”

Hill threw touchdown passes of 24, 51, 18 and nine yards in his second game since taking over for 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. He threw for a school-record 511 yards in an upset at then-No. 9 South Carolina last week.

“The more reps you get the more comfortable you are going to be in the offense,” Hill said. “I think that’s how it is for everybody. The more reps I get, the more time I get to get out there with the wide receivers and get a better connection with them.”

Caleb Berry was 16 of 42 for 153 yards and an interception for Lamar (1-1) which was facing a Southeastern Conference team for the first time since 1974

“Obviously we were outmatched tonight,” Lamar coach Ray Woodard said. “I liked the way we fought and came out and played tonight. It will be good to get back on the bus and head back to Beaumont.”

Hill was replaced by freshman Kyle Allen with about five minutes left in the first half and the Aggies up 31-3, but returned to start the third quarter.

He sat down for good with 1:56 left in the third and A&M up 45-3.

The Aggies led 14-3 when they fumbled a punt return. It didn’t matter much as Deshazor Everett intercepted the first pass of Lamar’s next drive. The Aggies cashed in on the error when Hill hit Sabian Holmes on a short pass and he tip-toed down the sideline for a 51-yard score late in the first quarter.

Hill completed three straight passes on his final drive of the first half with the last one coming on a 9-yard touchdown strike to Edward Pope to push the lead to 31-3.

He picked up where he left off when he returned for the start of the third, capping the first drive of the second half with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Malcome Kennedy that made it 38-3. Hill completed 17 of 26 passes.

“I think these guys understand that we’ve got to get better and we’re going to approach it that way this week,” Sumlin said. “

Freshman Myles Garrett starred on defense for the Aggies, finishing with five tackles, two sacks and two QB hurries. The Lamar offensive line couldn’t do much to slow down the 6-foot-5, 255-pound Garrett, who was rated as the top high school defensive end in the nation last season.

“It’s a learning experience for him,” Sumlin said. “He can create his own pass rush and that’s something that we need.”

Running back Tra Carson, who had three touchdowns last week, was out with an unspecified injury. Williams and James White picked up the slack, combining for 116 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

The lopsided game gave Texas A&M fans a first look at Allen, who Hill beat out in camp for the job. Allen was considered the best quarterback prospect in the nation coming out of high school. Allen was 12 of 16 for 122 yards with an interception and he threw touchdown passes of two and 33 yards in the fourth quarter.

Noil had 71 yards receiving, a punt return for 67 yards and a kickoff return for 53 yards to finish with 191 all-purpose yards for A&M.

Lamar’s only points came when the Cardinals had a first down at the 1-yard line but couldn’t push it in and settled for a 20-yard field goal that made it 7-3 in the first quarter.

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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