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Rebuilding UConn, USF meet in AAC opener

By WTOP Staff

FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Willie Taggart has heard enough about how South Florida was once ranked No. 2 in the country.

The way the second-year coach sees it: If he’s going to succeed in turning the school’s struggling football team around, the Bulls will have to achieve something they couldn’t while establishing themselves as one of the fastest growing programs in the country — win a conference championship.

“I think that’s very important in order for us to get where we want to go,” Taggart said, looking ahead to Friday night’s American Athletic Conference opener against another rebuilding team, Connecticut.

“You hear a lot about No. 2, No. 2, No. 2. That’s not fair to our guys right now to compare them to No. 2. We’re not that team right now,” the coach added. “We’re trying to build that foundation and get it back to that.”

USF (1-2) launched its program from scratch less than 20 years ago and soared as high as second in the Top 25 and Bowl Championship Series standings midway through the 2007 season.

The Bulls, who left Conference USA for the Big East in 2005, have been in decline ever since.

Despite being off to another slow start that includes losses to Maryland and North Carolina State, Taggart is optimistic about his young team’s prospects in a “very competitive” AAC that has a different look following the departure of Louisville to the Atlantic Coast Conference and Rutgers to the Big Ten.

“Any one of these teams can win any given game,” the USF coach said.

The Bulls started 2-0 in league play a year ago, including a 13-10 victory over UConn, before closing their first season under Taggart on a six-game conference losing streak.

“Our football team is still fragile. … We need to continue to find as much success as we can and be as positive as we can, keep going in that direction,” Taggart said.

It’s a direction UConn also wants to go under first-year coach Bob Diaco. The Huskies (1-2) have sandwiched lopsided losses to BYU and Boise State around a narrow victory over Stony Brook.

While this season largely is about changing the culture of UConn’s program, the former Notre Dame defensive coordinator and assistant head coach said it is essential players also recognize the importance of conference games in establishing an identity.

“This whole year is building. We can’t do anything to compromise our development. We can’t do anything to compromise our ability to get better,” Diaco said.

“We need to get batter as a team every week. We need to get better as a team at the end of the season,” Diaco added. “That has to happen. That will happen.”

___

Things to watch as the Huskies and Bulls try to set a tone for the rest of the season:

NAILBITERS: The past seven meetings between the teams have been decided by seven or fewer points. USF didn’t have an offensive TD in last year’s victory, scoring on a fumble return and two field goals.

FIXING MISTAKES: UConn had three turnovers and yielded eight sacks during last week’s 38-21 loss to Boise State. USF was limited to 159 yards total offense in a 49-17 loss to N.C. State, a team that had struggled to beat Georgia Southern and Old Dominion the previous two weeks.

STREAKING: UConn receiver Geremy Davis has a reception in 29 consecutive games.

THE OTHER DAVIS: USF’s Andre Davis is on pace become the Bulls’ career leader in several receiving categories, however he’s been sidelined since the first half of the season opener against Western Carolina with a bruised sternum.

SEEKING IMPROVEMENT: Taggart is looking for improved play from sophomore quarterback Mike White, whose 75-yard TD pass to Ryeshene Bronson pulled the Bulls into a brief 7-7 tie last week. N.C. State scored the next 42 points and wound up outgaining USF 589 yards to 159.

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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