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Cincinnati’s Legaux coming back string from injury

By WTOP Staff

RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Less than a year after a gruesome knee injury made Cincinnati quarterback Munchie Legaux face the possibility of never playing football again, he’s talking about starting the first game of the season for the Bearcats.

Legaux is overly optimistic, but who could blame him?

Considering how far he has come since tearing two ligaments and cartilage in his left knee when he took a low, twisting hit during the second game of last season against Illinois, his positive attitude is understandable.

“Right now in my recovery I’m about 85, 90 percent, in that range,” Legaux said Tuesday during American Athletic Conference media day. “I’m not cleared to play yet, but I can do things with the team, full activities with the team.

“As far as just coming back, my expectation is to be out there the first game, starting quarterback, leading the team and being Munchie. Making those plays, making those throws. Helping my team the way that I can, being the leader, the overall leader, the quarterback of the team.”

The senior from New Orleans with the memorable name and exciting game has not yet been cleared to play, but he can drop back and throw. He’s not running as fast and able to change direction as quickly as did before the injury, but it’s coming.

His approach is: “Let’s see where this can go.”

“That’s where we’re at right now,” he said. “Let’s see if we can go out there and participate in the full team activities. Let’s see if we can drop back and throw a ball. Let’s see if we can make a read and run. We just taking it day by day right now.”

Coach Tommy Tuberville has more realistic expectations for Legaux, but even those have changed since the NCAA granted the quarterback an extra season of eligibility.

“I didn’t think anything about it because I knew it was going to be an uphill battle,” Tuberville said of the waiver. “I thought he’d be about 60 percent to this point and maybe have a chance to get a couple games in at the end of the year.

“Now we’re to the point where he’s throwing, he’s running. We’re not going to hit him. He’s got to get over that (mental) hurdle. I think he’s going to have a chance to help us.”

Legaux said he’s about 205 pounds, only about five below what he played at last season, and can squat more than 300 pounds, which is more than he could before the injury.

He credits his teammates with helping him to stay positive and never allowing him to feel as if he wasn’t part of the team. Wide receiver Max Morrison would insist that Legaux show up when the team held informal workouts, even though he couldn’t participate.

“He would text me ‘Where are you? Why weren’t you there today?’ I’m like, Max, I can’t walk. What do you mean? I’m on crutches. He was like, ‘I don’t care. You’re the quarterback. You’re the leader.”

Legaux was wearing two big and bright Big East conference championship rings at media day. The Bearcats are favored to win the league again. Regardless of whether he can play when the Bearcats finally get their season started on Sept. 12, Legaux will be a contributor this season.

“It’s great to see him come back from what he’s been through with the same mindset,” defensive back Adrian Witty said. “Still loving the game.”

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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