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Texas St got a week to rest up for Navy

By WTOP Staff

RAUL DOMINGUEZ
Associated Press

SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) — Dennis Franchione has a bone to pick with the feds.

It’s not foreign policy or taxes that are troubling Franchione. No, the Texas State coach has a more pressing problem as his Bobcats prepare to host Navy on Saturday night.

“I’ve got a big complaint with our government,” Franchione said, a sly smile emerging. “We’re letting big guys in the academies now. I thought they were supposed to be little guys. They’ve got a 300-pound nose guard (Bernard Sarra). What’s he do? They’re recruiting good-sized guys and they’ve got good speed.”

That size has helped the Midshipmen (1-1) get off to a strong start, which includes leading the nation in team rushing offense.

Navy is coming off a 31-24 victory over Temple on Sept. 6 and was impressive in a season-opening loss to Ohio State. The Midshipmen used their triple option to lead the Buckeyes late in the third quarter before falling 34-17 on Aug. 30.

Junior quarterback Keenan Reynolds had 211 total yards against Temple, rushing for 181 yards and two touchdowns before leaving in the fourth quarter after taking a helmet to the knee. Reynolds was cleared to play, however, after an MRI revealed no structural damage.

“Everything is fine, so we’re happy about that,” Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said.

Reynolds had 94 total yards in leading Navy to a 21-10 victory over Texas State in 2012.

Reynolds has greatly improved since starting that game as a freshman for the Midshipmen, but the Bobcats have grown as well.

Texas State, which had a bye last week, had a school-record 697 yards in a 65-0 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Aug. 30.

“Big-time impressed,” Midshipmen defensive coordinator Buddy Green said. “They can run it, they give you a lot of looks, inside zone, split zone, option game, they run power game inside, but at the same time they’ve got a real good quarterback that can throw it. I like their wide receivers. They can run, they’ve got good team speed.”

Bobcats quarterback Tyler Jones completed 21 of 25 passes for 278 yards and four touchdowns in Texas State’s season opener. Junior wide receiver Jafus Gaines had four receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start.

“Obviously we liked week one, but we understand what that was,” Franchione said of the FCS school. “But this will be a big test for us as far as execution, blocking, tackling, getting off blocks, discipline. More discipline is going to be required of us defensively than in almost any game.”

Here are a few things to know about the Baylor-Northwestern State game:

NO, THANKS: Having a bye after the season’s first game is unusual, but Franchione said the time off was planned given this week’s opponent. “I know there were a number of times (Bobcats associate athletics director) Don Coryell, who helps with football scheduling, came over and said, ‘Coach, do you want to play this week?’ I said, ‘Nope.’ ‘Nope.’ ‘Nope.’ We kept this week open purposely and I think it’s helped us out a great deal, hopefully it will look like it on Saturday night.”

50 SENSE: Niumatalolo became the fastest to reach 50 career victories at Navy when the Midshipmen beat Temple last week. In his seventh season, Niumatalolo needs six more victories to surpass George Welsh as the winningest coach in the program’s history.

WELCOME HOME: Navy fullback Noah Copeland and cornerback Quincy Adams will get an opportunity to play before friends and family while playing in San Marcos, which is less than an hour’s drive from their hometown of San Antonio. Adams was named the Eastern Conference Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week after finishing with a career-high nine tackles and forcing a fumble on Temple’s final play at Navy’s nine-yard line in the Midshipmen’s victory.

BIG GAME: Texas State is expecting a capacity crowd with Navy’s arrival and so many active and retired military veterans in the area, particularly in San Antonio.

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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