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Smith subs in, leads Navy past Texas State 35-21

By WTOP Staff

RAUL DOMINGUEZ
Associated Press

SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) — Playing without the leader of its offense put a scare in Navy, but Tago Smith quickly put those fears to rest with a stellar outing in his first career start.

Smith amassed 202 total yards and scored four touchdowns in place of injured starter Keenan Reynolds as the Midshipmen rolled to a 35-21 victory over Texas State Saturday night.

“I thought he played great under the circumstances,” Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “He came in and played well against a very aggressive defense.”

The Midshipmen (2-1) had 469 total yards, including 352 rushing yards, before the second-largest crowd in Texas State’s history.

“We held them to 352 yards in rushing, that’s the lowest in three games (for Navy), so we did some good things,” Bobcats coach Dennis Franchione said. “We just needed to score more points and take advantage of our opportunities offensively in order to beat a team like this tonight.”

Reynolds did not play after taking helmet to his right knee last week in Navy’s victory over Temple.

Niumatalolo offered an incredulous look when asked if Smith’s performance could spark a quarterback controversy. Still, the sophomore proved almost as adept at running the Midshipmen’s triple-option attack as the three-year starter.

Smith rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 85 yards and two more scores, including a 67-yarder — the longest for Navy since 2010.

His only hiccup came on an underthrown pass a few minutes into the third quarter that was intercepted by Germond Williams. Navy’s defense softened the blow, forcing a punt on fourth-and-28 on Texas State’s drive following the turnover.

Noah Copeland, from nearby San Antonio, rushed for a game-high 116 yards on 11 carries for Navy.

Texas State quarterback Tyler Jones completed 24 of 36 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Robert Lowe added 92 yards and a touchdown for the Bobcats (1-1).

Smith led the Midshipmen to touchdowns on their first four possessions of the game, averaging just under 4 minutes and 60 yards on each drive.

“I think the most important part was just being focused,” Smith said. “I had to realize I had one job, and I needed to get it done. Of course you have nerves, but after that first play they go away. I had confidence in myself, and the coaches had confidence in me; that made me play better.”

Chris Swain opened the scoring with a 14-yard run with 4 minutes, 2 seconds left in the first quarter, capping a seven-play, 59-yard drive for the Midshipmen. Smith rushed for 19 yards on three carries and completed his only passing attempt in the drive for three yards.

Brendan Dudeck then slipped behind the defense after Navy stormed the middle on its previous two plays, leaving him wide open in the right corner of the end zone for a six-yard reception from Smith. It was Dudeck’s first touchdown reception and Smith’s first touchdown pass.

Smith’s first rushing touchdown of the season came on a 1-yard run early in the second quarter. Geoffrey Whiteside accounted for 57 yards in the drive, cutting back at Texas State’s and Navy’s 45-yard lines on a 38-yard run. He also had a step on two defenders and appeared heading for a touchdown but stumbled after having to twist backwards and fell for a 19-yard reception.

Smith followed with his second rushing touchdown on the next possession, scoring again on a 1-yard run.

Texas State took advantage of a late hit on a punt return to cut Navy’s lead in half at 28-14 with 13:36 remaining. Robert Lowe scored on a 1-yard run, nine plays after a 15-yard penalty set up the Bobcats at the 29-yard line.

“I feel like the defense was playing pretty good in the second half,” Lowe said. “They were getting us the ball back, we just have to maximize our opportunities when we have the ball and we didn’t do that a couple of times when we had the ball.”

Navy regained its momentum quickly as Smith found Jamir Tillman wide open along the left sideline for a 67-yard touchdown pass.

“They are heavy on run support,” Midshipmen offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper said. “We had to throw a couple of balls deep, something game plan wise we didn’t call it any differently because he’s that type of player.”

Navy did not punt until there were about 7 minutes left in the third 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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