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Army struggles in 41-21 loss to Rice

By WTOP Staff

WILLIAM MONTGOMERY
Associated Press

WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) — It was a simple explanation for Army head coach Jeff Monken but that didn’t make it any easier.

Army lacked in the fundamentals, overwhelmed on both sides of the line of scrimmage by a physical Rice team in a 41-21 loss on Saturday.

“We weren’t a good blocking team or a good tackling team today and that cost us,” Monken said. “We had them tackled several times or had hands on them and weren’t able to make the tackles. We’ve seen that the last couple of weeks. Last week was better than the week before but just not a good enough job.”

Rice made 13 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including one sack of Army quarterback Angel Santiago, and forced two fumbles.

Linebacker James Radcliffe made three of his seven total tackles for losses. Army, which came into the game ranked No. 2 in the nation by averaging 338.2 rushing yards per game, was held to 250 yards on the ground.

Army converted just 5 of 13 third downs and was 1 for 3 on fourth-down conversions.

Christian Covington recovered a Santiago fumble at the Army 41-yard line with 12:40 remaining in the third quarter. On the next play, Driphus Jackson found Jordan Taylor for a 41-yard touchdown reception, giving Rice a 31-14 lead 10 seconds after Santiago’s fumble.

“The center-quarterback exchange to start the second half on that drive was awfully disappointing, and they score on a one-play drive,” Monken said. “We were in a coverage and didn’t play the coverage correctly. A guy missed an assignment and (Taylor is) obviously running straight down the field with no contest.”

“We have 11 guys on defense that were just hungry to get after the ball,” said Covington. “Things are going to happen. I’m glad to be part of this team and I’m glad to be a part of this defense. I’m very proud of the way we played today.”

Covington finished with seven tackles, including one for a loss.

“He was outstanding. There’s just no other way to say it,” said Army fullback Larry Dixon. “He plays hard.”

Jackson completed 15 of 21 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 13 of his first 14 passes, was not intercepted and was sacked just once.

The Owls (3-3) converted a pair of third downs on their game-opening drive, which concluded with Brandon Hamilton’s 2-yard touchdown run.

Army (2-4) responded later in the first quarter when Dixon scored from 2 yards out. It was career touchdown No. 22 for Dixon, moving him into a tie for ninth place on Army’s all-time list with Charlie Jarvis (1966-68).

Rice opened the second quarter with 17 consecutive points. Darik Dillard scored on a 15-yard touchdown run, James Farrimond kicked a 23-yard field goal and Jackson completed a 5-yard pass to Mario Hull as Rice took a 24-7 lead.

Santiago was sacked by Alex Lyons for a 7-yard loss on the first play of the Black Knights’ final first-half possession, but he still managed to lead a scoring drive. Dixon gained 43 yards on a run up the middle on the next play and Santiago connected with Xavier Moss on a 7-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds remaining in the half to cut the Rice lead to 24-14.

“It was good for us to go down there and score, but we came out in the second half and couldn’t build off that momentum,” Santiago said. “We just didn’t finish and that’s all it comes down to.”

Santiago scored on a 24-yard run midway through the third quarter, bringing Army within 10 points. Jackson hit Dillard on a 10-yard touchdown strike later in the third to put Rice ahead by 17.

On an option play early in the fourth quarter, a low pitch from Santiago intended for Tony Giovannelli was fumbled and recovered by Rice’s Bryce Callahan at the Army 32. Rice couldn’t turn that turnover into points, ending the drive with a punt after a holding penalty negated a 46-yard field goal by Farrimond.

Farrimond made a 24-yard field goal with 6:48 to play to cap the scoring.

Army, which defeated Ball State at home last week, has not won back-to-back games since beating North Texas and Duke in consecutive weeks in mid-September 2010.

“Things like that are awfully disappointing and we can’t make mistakes like that here and overcome them,” Monken said of Santiago’s third-quarter fumble. “We have to be able to play better in terms of those things. It’s my job to get our team prepared to do that and the job of our staff and also the responsibility of our players and they understand that. We have to play better if we hope to be a good football team like Rice. They are a good football team.”

Rice running back Jowan Davis ran 21 times for 77 yards and wide receiver Zach Wright had five receptions for 47 yards.

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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