Skip to main content

Garman’s road leads to starting job at Oklahoma St

By WTOP Staff

CLIFF BRUNT
AP Sports Writer

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma State quarterback Daxx Garman hadn’t played a game since 2009. Now, he starts for a Top 25 team.

J.W. Walsh went down with a right foot injury Sept. 7 against Missouri State, and Garman stepped in to help the Cowboys earn their first win of the season. He started the next game and passed for 315 yards and two touchdowns in a win over UTSA last Saturday.

He’ll start again for 25th-ranked Oklahoma State next Thursday in the conference opener against Texas Tech. Coach Mike Gundy said Garman already is getting comfortable.

“He throws the deep ball pretty well,” Gundy said. “His accuracy seems to be improving. I think he gets a better feel for our offense every day being out there with the first team.”

Garman didn’t play his senior year of high school in 2010 because of a transfer issue. He went to Arizona and redshirted in 2011, then transferred to Oklahoma State and ran the scout team in 2012. He didn’t play last year, either, and entered this season as a 21-year-old backup.

“I’ve not seen many players who have gone through a timetable like Daxx has, especially in college,” Gundy said. “I’m guessing that he’s adjusting on the run. It’s unique. It seems to be a little different. But he’s doing fine.”

Gundy said Walsh would be “out at least the next few weeks,” and added that he “could very well come back at the end of the year.”

“Whether he comes back — they all recover different,” Gundy said. “Some guys have a little more of a threshold for pain. These foot injuries that these players get, it’s really hard to determine the length of the recovery.”

For now, it’s Garman’s show. The 6-foot-2 junior completed 16 of 26 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns against Missouri State, then connected on 16 of 30 passes against UTSA.

“I know I’ve got guys around me who I can trust so I know I’ll be able to rely on them once we start playing some teams from the Big 12,” Garman said after the win.

Garman has a big arm, but he doesn’t always use it. Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich said in a few situations last week, Garman looked deep, but the defense took his receivers away. Instead of forcing the ball, he ran and avoided a mistake.

“He understands ball security,” Yurcich said. “That’s what that tells us, and that’s a really, really important thing to have as a quarterback, that quality. Hopefully, he can continue on that path to take care of the football. If he can continue to do that, we’re going to have our share of success.”

The disadvantage to having such an inexperienced quarterback is that it limits the wrinkles Oklahoma State can throw at an opponent.

“We don’t really have the luxury of opening up the playbook,” Gundy said. “You have a quarterback that’s played in two games in his career. And we have three young offensive linemen. And teams that we compete against know that. We’re going to try to accomplish just a few things and get better at it each week.”

___

Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote