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Beamer: Hokies not a very good team right now

By WTOP Staff

HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer and his players have a little edge to them this week.

The coach said he’s not used to going through growing pains two weeks in a row.

“We’re not a good football team right now,” Beamer said this week. “Just too many penalties, too many mistakes and too much not coming up with the play. But we can be a good football team and it’s up to us to get there. We’re not there right now. I think everyone fully understands that.”

The Hokies (2-2) hope to make strides when they host Western Michigan (2-1) on Saturday.

Wide receiver Willie Byrn thinks the problem is focus. He says Virginia Tech was precise because it knew it had to be to win at Ohio State, but that maybe the team has slacked off on focus since.

The Broncos, of Mid-American Conference, have faced the Hokies three times previously, and have lost the three games by a combined 124-0. The last meeting ended 63-0 at Lane Stadium in 2004.

This Western Michigan team is averaging 39.5 points after consecutive games scoring 45. The offense is led by freshman tailback Jarvion Franklin, who has run for three touchdowns in each of their games. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder is averaging 6.6 yards per carry while quarterback Zach Terrell has six touchdown throws.

More than worrying about what the Broncos are doing, Beamer said the Hokies have to correct mistakes like the handful of illegal substitution penalties that plagued them in a 27-24 loss to Georgia Tech last weekend, and to continue to get production from its passing game without turning the ball over.

Quarterback Michael Brewer threw for 297 yards against the Yellow Jackets, but also threw three interceptions that turned into 17 points. In four starts, he’s already thrown eight interceptions.

“I think Brewer played his best football game other than three plays,” Beamer said Monday. “But you’ve got to count every play. Three critical plays in the ballgame. I thought our kids played extremely hard. As you look at the video, there’s so many times we could have won the game, but the bottom line is we didn’t, and you give Georgia Tech credit. They did. And that’s where we are as a football team.”

A 35-21 victory at Ohio State in the second week “cements the idea that no one can beat us,” Byrn said, and may have contributed to the failure to execute in subsequent losses to East Carolina and the Yellow Jackets. Both came at Lane Stadium, the Hokies’ first losses there in consecutive weeks since 1995.

This week, he said, it’s back to basics, no matter who they are playing on Saturday.

“We’re going to watch, we’re going to see their game plan, strategy, but more so it’s about us, it’s about focusing in practice and making sure we’re signaling on and off the field from an offensive perspective,” he said. “That’s what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to be more picky, more annoying in practice on the little things. That’s definitely going to happen this week. It’s already started.”

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Follow Hank on twitter at: http://twitter.com/hankkurzjr

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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