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QBs take center stage for Missouri, UCF

By WTOP Staff

JAKE KREINBERG
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Central Florida travels to the Midwest for a game against Missouri on Saturday, with both starting quarterbacks eager for some consistency.

“If I throw an interception and I’m sitting there with my head down, people aren’t going to want to be out there,” Missouri’s Maty Mauk said. “So I try to stay as positive as I can and people go off of that.”

Mauk, a sophomore, ranks tied for first nationally with eight touchdown passes for the 20th-ranked Tigers (2-0), and threw five in last week’s 49-24 win at Toledo. He also tossed two interceptions, and says he’s been working on his decision-making ahead of the matchup with UCF (0-1).

With just six career starts, Mauk is still improving his field vision, quarterbacks coach Andy Hill said.

“I think the more we keep practicing the same plays over and over, that he’ll get comfortable with what we’re doing,” Hill said. “He’s making better decisions; we just want consistent decisions all the way around.”

Quarterback Justin Holman will oppose Mauk for the Knights, who lost 26-24 to Penn State in Ireland on Aug. 30. The sophomore will be making his first career start after throwing for one touchdown and running for two more in relief of freshman Pete DiNovo.

Holman is hoping to emulate former Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles, whom he says was composed no matter the opponent.

“He was the same guy all the time,” Holman said. “That’s what I took from him. Be the same guy and stay consistent, and the team will rally around you.”

Here are some things to know about the game:

HOLMAN’S COMPOSURE: Missouri owns the country’s longest takeaway streak at 46 games, and if the Tigers are able to extend it, how will Holman respond? Offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe says there will be “a fine line” in deciding whether to pull Holman if he struggles. “He needs to just be himself,” coach George O’Leary said. “The only pressure he’s going to get is what he puts on himself.”

MAUK’S PASSES: Hill hopes to see Mauk use the whole field and find open receivers, regardless of how close to the line of scrimmage they may be. Mauk has been vocal about wanting to throw downfield, but last week’s interceptions may affect his thinking this week. UCF intercepted two passes against Penn State, including one by cornerback Jacoby Glenn.

MISSOURI’S DEFENSIVE LINE: Ends Markus Golden and Shane Ray have picked up where they left off last season, combining for 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks through two games. “They’re explosive guys,” coach Gary Pinkel said. “They come off the corner. They create a lot of problems.” Missouri ranked first in the Southeastern Conference last year with 41 sacks, while Central Florida finished second in the American Athletic Conference with only 22 sacks allowed.

MARCUS MURPHY: The versatile Missouri senior received his first career start at running back at Toledo and caught the second touchdown reception of his career, one week after returning a kickoff 100 yards against South Dakota State. Because of his speed, he has the potential to change the game any time he touches the ball. “He’s got the ‘it’ factor,” Pinkel said.

UCF VS. TOP 25: Central Florida went 2-1 against ranked teams a year ago, winning at Louisville and defeating Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl. The Knights also lost at home to South Carolina by a field goal. Despite losing Bortles to the NFL, the team returns plenty of experience and will not be fazed by playing an SEC school. “They know how to win,” Pinkel said. “They’ve won at a high level.”

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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