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Wake Forest tries to bottle up Keeton, Utah State

By WTOP Staff

PAT GRAHAM
AP Sports Writer

The numbers haven’t been as gaudy this season for the Utah State dual-threat quarterback Chuckie Keeton, who is mentioned on nearly every preseason watch list and a dark horse candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

Keeton has thrown for 260 yards and one score through two games as he rounds back into form after suffering a season-ending knee injury last October. He’s overdue for a breakout game — a Chuckie Keeton-type performance.

That’s what has Wake Forest (1-1) a little on edge Saturday as the Demon Deacons make the trip to Logan, Utah, for their first meeting with the Aggies (1-1).

Keeton was off to a sizzling season a year ago — 1,388 yards passing and 18 TD scores — before injuring the ACL and MCL in his left knee during the sixth game of the season. The senior was picked as the Mountain West preseason player of the year for 2014.

“He’s one of those quarterbacks where you can have the play defended exactly right and it can still be a 15-yard play because of his athleticism,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. “He’s got a live arm. He’s extremely athletic.”

Keeton’s completion percentage is down considerably this season. Through two games, he’s completing less than half his passes.

But the misses are a little misleading, Utah State coach Matt Wells maintains. According to Wells, quite a few of Keeton’s recent incompletions were because he was throwing the ball away rather than forcing the ball into tight spaces.

“I’m just like anybody else — you want to see the kid go 22-for-25,” Wells said. “I don’t think it was an accuracy issue with him. There are always reasons why certain numbers look like they do.

“Oftentimes, a quarterback goes 22-for-25 and you’ve got receivers making catches they shouldn’t. … I’m not satisfied with the reasons he had to throw the ball away, but he’s an unselfish quarterback who does what he has to do to give his team a chance in that series or drive. You put away selfish desires for the team.”

The Aggies are also spreading the ball around, getting running back Joe Hill and receiver JoJo Natson more involved.

“We’ve got guys stepping up all over the place,” Wells said. “They’re going to continue to step up and play and find ways to win games. This business is about finding ways to win. It’s fun and exciting to see who’s going to step up.

“You’ll know the identity of the team into October and November. We’re not in mid-season form right now, it’s still early.”

Things to consider as the Demon Deacons play their first game against a team in the Mountain West Conference:

IN SYNC: Quarterback John Wolford and receiver E.J. Scott connected for a pair of TDs in a 23-7 win over Gardner-Webb last weekend. Wolford finished with 291 yards. “It was good to see us moving the ball. We moved the ball well,” Scott said. “We just want to keep building off that.”

LONG TRIP: Clawson doesn’t think the cross-country journey to Utah will bother the Demon Deacons so much Saturday as the following week. He said returning from the game so late creates “a lot more havoc” as they gear up to host Army next weekend. “The problem is always the next week,” Clawson said. “When you play these games you prefer to have a long week afterward because you basically lose a day on the flight back.”

FRESH FACES: Wolford is one of eight true freshmen who’ve made their debut for Wake Forest this season. Last season, the Deacons used 11 first-year players. That’s bucking quite a trend considering that from 2001 to 2012, the Deacons never played more than three rookies.

TAKE YOUR PICK: Utah State freshman defensive back Jalen Davis intercepted two passes against Idaho State last weekend, returning one for a 44-yard score. “His care factor is really high,” Wells said. “For an 18-year-old, he cares about being good and playing well.”

WHITE NIGHT: The Aggies will don white helmets, jerseys and pants against Wake Forest in what’s being dubbed “White Out.” The team has split the last two games when wearing their all-white ensemble, beating UNLV in 2012 and losing to Boise State last season.

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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