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Navy prepares for VMI without quarterback Reynolds

By WTOP Staff

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Navy could be without injured quarterback Keenan Reynolds in Saturday’s game against Virginia Military Institute.

Given the way VMI has been playing this season, it might not matter much.

Reynolds’ knee has been an issue since he twisted it against Temple game on Sept. 6. The standout junior missed the next game at Texas State, but returned on Sept. 20 for a home game against Rutgers and played last week against Air Force.

Reynolds has looked tentative at times in the option game, rushing for just 52 yards on 40 carries against Rutgers and Air Force. The Tennessee native was knocked out of the Air Force game — Navy’s third straight loss — after taking a hard hit to his right shoulder.

The quarterback did not participate in practice on Tuesday or Wednesday, instead watching Tago Smith direct the first-team offense. Coach Ken Niumatalolo would not announce his starting quarterback for Saturday, saying he would wait to evaluate the progress of Reynolds.

Smith made his first collegiate start at Texas State and was impressive in leading Navy (2-4) to a 35-21 victory. The 5-foot-10 sophomore passed for 117 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 85 yards and scored twice while smoothly operating the triple-option offense.

VMI is a Football Championship Subdivision program coming off a 55-7 loss to Chattanooga. The Keydets (1-5) are allowing 43.2 points and 507.8 yards per game.

Navy has a bye on Oct. 18 and that gives the coaching staff an opportunity to give Reynolds two full weeks of rest in order to heal his dual injuries.

___

Some things to know about the VMI-Navy matchup:

SLOAN GETS THE BOOT: Navy placekicker Nick Sloan has missed five field goals this season, including three that affected the outcome of games. Niumatalolo announced Monday that Sloan would be replaced as placekicker and opened a competition between junior Austin Grebe and sophomore D.J. Grant-Johnson. It didn’t take long for Grebe to grab the job. as he was named the new starter after out-kicking Grant-Johnson on Tuesday. Grebe has handled kickoffs for Navy the past two seasons.

TURNOVER-PRONE: Navy ranks 100th nationally in turnover margin, having committed 10 and forced only six. The Midshipmen have lost seven fumbles and tossed three interceptions. It’s quite a turnaround from last year when Navy ranked No. 1 nationally in fewest turnovers. “It’s a bad deal. Last year, we led the nation in not turning the ball over and now this year we’re almost the worst,” offensive coordinator Ivan Jasper said.

RED ZONE WOES: Navy ranks 108th out of 125 Football Bowl Subdivision programs in red zone offense, scoring points on just 72 percent of trips inside the 25-yard line. Navy has reached the red zone 25 times this season and come away with 15 touchdowns and three field goals. Five missed field goals by Sloan have hurt, and the Midshipmen have also been best by turnovers deep in enemy territory.

NO SUCCESS ACROSS THE BORDER: VMI, which is located in Lexington, Virginia, will be seeking its first win in the state of Maryland since 1941, when the Keydets defeated the University of Maryland. Since then, VMI has lost five times to Navy and six times to Maryland.

CENTER OF ATTENTION: Navy saw its top two centers go down with injuries during the Air Force game. Starter Tanner Fleming aggravated an ankle injury during the second quarter and did not return and backup Blaze Ryder was knocked out with a shoulder injury in the fourth period. Fleming and Ryder are both expected to miss Saturday’s game, and that’s caused some shuffling of the offensive line. Starting left tackle Bradyn Heap will move to center and be replaced in the starting lineup by sophomore Blake Copeland. Heap was recruited as a center and played that position his first year in Annapolis. Copeland will be making his collegiate debut.

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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