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Cavaliers ‘D’ faces offense of No. 21 Louisville

By WTOP Staff

HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Louisville coach Bobby Petrino seems to want it all.

The coach in his second tour with the No. 21 Cardinals wants a power running game, an efficient passing game and to see his team show big-play ability by hitting the occasional deep ball.

That hat trick might be difficult to pull off when Louisville (2-0) plays at Virginia (1-1) on Saturday.

The Cavaliers defense has allowed just 17 points in two games, including the opener against No. 12 UCLA. The Bruins won 28-20 on the strength of three defensive touchdowns before halftime.

Virginia also ranks among the national leaders with nine sacks and nine turnovers.

“They have two pretty good pass rushers on the edge and the defensive ends, they have some pretty stout guys on the inside,” Cardinals lineman Jamon Brown said this week. “It really comes down to us doing our job as an offensive line, making sure that we protect the passer when it’s time to protect the passer and making sure we open holes when it’s time to run the ball. Other than that, I think we’ll be fine.”

Both teams are coming off blowout wins against FCS opponents, and the Cavaliers are still playing Greyson Lambert and Matt Johns at quarterback. They each led two touchdown drives against Richmond, and the team — and the quarterbacks — seem to have adjusted to sharing the job for the foreseeable future.

“Whenever Matt’s in there, I’m rooting for him, and also I’m rooting for our team, because I want him to execute well so our team does well,” Lambert, one of four team captains, said this week.

“I think that goes hand in hand with Matt, too.”

The Cardinals have already used four quarterbacks, but the job belongs to sophomore Will Gardner, who has been consistent through two games. He’s 33 for 50 for 339 yards with four touchdown passes.

He also hasn’t thrown an interception, but his longest completion covered just 34 yards.

“We just haven’t been able to complete some of the deep balls that we’ve called and haven’t gotten a lot of yards after the catch yet,” Petrino said. “We just gotta continue to work at it.”

Here are some things to watch when Louisville plays at Virginia:

GETTING TO KNOW YOU: Louisville is in its first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and basically replaces departed longtime Virginia rival Maryland on the Cavaliers’ schedule. The home team will be looking to reverse some history, too, because it is 0-6 when facing a new ACC member.

CARDINALS SECONDARY: Louisville is progressing in replacing all-conference safeties Calvin Pryor and Hakeem Smith. Transfer James Sample and junior Gerod Holliman each have pickoffs along with junior RCB Charles Gaines. Maybe this is the day when Virginia looks to go downfield a little bit more?

STARTING FAST: The Cardinals seek their first opening-drive TD of the season, a development that could knock Virginia off its heels. The Cavaliers have been drawing poorly, averaging about 39,000 fans in their first two games, but the play of the defense has been what has fired up those in attendance.

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE: Cavaliers tailback Kevin Parks ran for over 1,000 yards last season, but has started slowly this season behind a young offensive line. His backup, Taquan “Smoke” Mizzell, is expected to be a big-play guy, but hasn’t as yet. Look for Virginia to continually try to get him the ball in space to give him a chance for home run plays.

ATTACK MODE: Defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta’s system calls for an aggressive style with stunts and movement, all designed to get sacks and force turnovers. The Cavaliers will be trying to make Cardinals sophomore QB Will Gardner contribute to those totals.

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AP Sports Writer Gary B. Graves contributed from Louisville, Kentucky.

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Follow Hank on twitter at: http://twitter.com/hankkurzjr

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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