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Familiar faces as Washington hosts Georgia State

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — Trent Miles still has the memories even if his time working at Washington was mostly filled with forgettable losses.

“I really enjoyed living there. My two daughters were born there at the UW Medical Center and just up until recently we still owned a home there,” Miles said. “My wife is quoted saying as it being the best place she’s lived up until now. It’s a special place for us.”

Now the head coach at Georgia State, Miles and his staff filled with Washington connections bring the Panthers to Seattle for a matchup with the Huskies on Saturday afternoon.

For Washington (3-0), it serves as the final tuneup with a showdown with Stanford to start Pac-12 play a week off. Georgia State (1-2) provides Washington the final chance to fully put to rest the concerns that were raised in escaping Hawaii and Eastern Washington with wins, and that were slightly calmed in last week’s 44-19 romp over Illinois.

“I think the offense is coming along, I think each week we’re improving, individually and as a unit,” Washington QB Cyler Miles said. “That’s all I can ask for.”

Geographically, it’s a matchup that makes little sense, although the Panthers are scheduled to play next season at Oregon. Georgia State is receiving $900,000 from Washington and the ties between the programs are surprisingly significant.

Along with Trent Miles, the Panthers bring three other coaches who previously worked at Washington: secondary coach J.D. Williams, wide receivers coach Tim Lappano and quarterbacks coach Luke Huard. Williams and Lappano were coaches with Miles on the staff of Tyrone Willingham during his tenure at Washington, while Huard was a graduate assistant whose two brothers both quarterbacked for the Huskies.

And to top it off, former Washington quarterback Ronnie Fouch, who was a backup to Jake Locker, is a grad assistant for the Panthers.

“Just going back there, it’s going to invoke different things for different guys,” Miles said. ” … Excited for some guys that have been there. It’s our profession and it’s great to get back there and see it.”

Here’s what to watch as the Huskies face the Panthers for the first time:

SHAQ ATTACK: Washington LB Shaq Thompson was the Pac-12 defensive player of the week after returning an interception and fumble for touchdowns against Illinois. He became the first Washington player since at least 1978 to accomplish the feat, and may have added an offensive touchdown if not for being tripped up on a 13-yard run. He has three total touchdowns this season and could add to the total with additional offensive carries against the Panthers.

FLING IT: In just three games QB Nick Arbuckle is already setting school records. Arbuckle threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns against Abilene Christian then topped that by throwing for 414 yards and two TDs last week against Air Force. Arbuckle leads the Sun Belt Conference in passing and total offense and ranks in the top five nationally in both categories.

ROSS RAMPAGE: It’s pretty simple with John Ross. When he touches the ball, he scores more often than not. After catching a 75-yard touchdown pass last week against Illinois, Ross has four touchdowns in eight touches for the season. He would have added a 100-yard kickoff return for a score later in the game if not for a penalty bringing the play back. Georgia State is a good opportunity for the Huskies to tinker with the speedy Ross and find out the best ways to use him prior to Pac-12 play.

KEEP IT CLOSE: Give Georgia State this much: it can keep games close. After winning their opener 38-37 over Abilene Christian — the Panthers’ first win as an FBS program — they lost to New Mexico State 34-31 and last week to Air Force 48-38. The Panthers led New Mexico State in the fourth quarter before falling late and pulled within two scores of Air Force after trailing 31-10.

WHERE’S KASEN? Surprisingly absent from the stat sheet most of this season is Washington WR Kasen Williams. Once viewed as a lock for the NFL, Williams is still working his way back from a major foot/ankle injury suffered in the middle of last season. He has just four receptions in three games, but is listed as a starter for this week’s game.

“We do need to get him more involved, there’s no question,” Washington coach Chris Petersen said.

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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