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Tennessee’s freshman class features familiar names

By WTOP Staff

STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee is counting on family connections to help the program return to prominence.

Five players from Butch Jones’ highly touted freshman class have family members who also played football for the Volunteers. A sixth freshman – wide receiver Vic Wharton – is the nephew of former Tennessee basketball player Brandon Wharton.

These newcomers want to help Tennessee end a string of four straight losing seasons and regain the stature this program enjoyed when their relatives were here.

“Especially since all of us are legacy guys, Tennessee’s always been close to our hearts,” said defensive back Elliott Berry, the younger brother of 2009 Jim Thorpe Award winner Eric Berry and the son of former Tennessee running back James Berry. “Just the fact we’re in this position and have the opportunity to put Tennessee back at the top, it’s a big deal to me.”

Berry has arrived at Tennessee with his twin brother, Evan, also a defensive back. Linebacker Dillon Bates is the son of Bill Bates, who helped Tennessee earn three bowl bids from 1979-82 before beginning a 15-year NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys.

Defensive back Todd Kelly Jr.’s father was part of Tennessee’s 1989 and 1990 SEC championship teams. Linebacker Neiko Creamer is the son of Andre Creamer, who helped the Vols win an SEC title in 1985.

These freshmen say they aren’t facing any extra pressure just because of their familiar names.

“My dad told me that I’m the only person that can put pressure on myself,” Evan Berry said. “It’s just playing football, doing what I love. The last name doesn’t really put pressure on me. It’s just football.”

Even so, much is expected of this group, which was ranked among the nation’s top five recruiting classes by multiple services. Jones believes having so many relatives of former Vols on his team should have an impact.

Tennessee’s continuing to get a recruiting edge from its family connections. Last week, Tennessee received a verbal commitment from high school defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie, the son of Oakland Raiders general manager and former Vols outside linebacker Reggie McKenzie. McKenzie is rated by Scout as the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect in the 2015 recruiting class.

“We want individuals that have grown up understanding the rivalry with Alabama, with Florida, understanding the traditions that we have at the University of Tennessee,” Jones said. “So the legacy players have helped.”

The legacy players in this freshman class certainly have that understanding.

Creamer says as soon as he started getting into sports, he began to appreciate Tennessee because he’d seen pictures of his father wearing the “Power T” on his helmet. Elliott Berry remembers spending spring break in Knoxville as a sixth-grader and attending some of his older brother’s classes and practices.

Bates, who grew up in Florida, recalls traveling to Tennessee during a hurricane evacuation as a child, attending his first game at Neyland Stadium and imagining his future.

“Just walking around the stadium and campus and seeing my dad’s name everywhere, it kind of stuck in my mind this is something that I want to do, and this is somewhere that I kind of fell in love with,” Bates said.

Now he’s savoring the opportunity to play in a stadium that already has produced so many wonderful memories for his family. Bates has a handful of classmates experiencing similar emotions.

“I loved Tennessee football when I was a kid,” Kelly said. “I came to all the home games, got to see Eric Berry play, Jerod Mayo, Inky Johnson. I can name them all. Robert Meachem. It’s pretty cool just to think I’m finally here.”

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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