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Army hosts Rice seeking 3rd straight home victory

By WTOP Staff

The Associated Press

WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) — Army has a second chance to put together a winning streak for new coach Jeff Monken. He’d rather not think about it.

“It’s one game at a time,” Monken said. “I don’t think you use winning two games in a row as a way to measure where you are as a football team.”

The Black Knights (2-3) face Rice (2-3), which has won two straight, at Michie Stadium on Saturday. Army lost three straight on the road after opening the season with a home victory over Buffalo and is coming off a 33-24 win over Ball State.

Monken has been using A.J. Schurr and Angel Santiago at quarterback and has no plans to deviate from that strategy.

“I think they both do a good job,” Monken said. “I don’t think there’s a lot of difference when one is in the game than the other.”

Santiago is second on the team with 360 yards and five touchdowns rushing, while Schurr has 215 yards on the ground and three scores. Santiago has completed 18 of 23 passes for 288 yards and Schurr has connected on 7 of 17 throws for 123 yards and one touchdown.

Army’s triple option gained 425 yards rushing against the Cardinals, the first time the Black Knights topped 400 yards since netting 516 against Eastern Michigan a year ago. The performance boosted Army to second in the country on the ground, averaging 338 yards rushing. Larry Dixon, averaging 105 yards, paces the ground game with 526 yards and four touchdowns.

With a little bit of luck, the Black Knights know they could be 4-1, a 35-0 wipeout at Stanford the only game that hasn’t been close.

“Our team is playing collectively, as a group, the best it has all year,” said Army linebacker Andrew King, who had 10 tackles against Ball State. “When we play together, it’s hard to beat us. We weren’t perfect (against Ball State). We know that.”

Some things to know when Army hosts Rice on Saturday at Michie Stadium:

RICE BITS: Although Rice lost badly (48-17) to then-No. 17 Notre Dame, the Owls gained 5.6 yards per play, including 15.1 yards per completion. And in a 38-10 loss to then-No. 7 Texas A&M, the Owls outgained the Aggies on offense for the second-straight year.

MR. DO-IT-ALL DEFENSIVELY: Jeremy Timpf leads the Army defense in tackles with 46 and also has three interceptions, 5.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

BIG-PLAY JACKSON: Rice quarterback Driphus Jackson has carried much of the load for the Owls. He’s connected on 73 of 123 passes for 976 yards and eight touchdowns with three interceptions and has thrown two of the five longest touchdown passes in school history. He connected with James Mayden last Saturday against Hawaii for an 81-yard score and previously set the school record with an 88-yard completion to Sam McGuffie against Houston in 2012. The Owls have 10 touchdown passes of 80 yards or longer, and Jackson is the only quarterback to have thrown more than one.

WHO’S NO. 1?: Rice nose tackle Christian Covington is a load, and Monken is well aware.

“He challenges everybody,” Monken said. “We have watched him on film and in every football game he makes it difficult on the offensive linemen lined up across from him.

“Whenever you see a defensive lineman wearing a single-digit number, you start to worry. He wears number one and at 300 pounds that one doesn’t cover much of the jersey. He’s just a terrific player. “

HEISMAN MEMORY: The Rice-Army series began in 1958 on the strength of late-game heroics by eventual Heisman Trophy winner Pete Dawkins. He caught a 64-yard touchdown pass in the waning moments to give Army a 14-7 win and preserve its undefeated season.

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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