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Cavaliers have high expectations after dismal year

By WTOP Staff

HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Looking around the room, Virginia’s players see signs of greatness everywhere.

A big-armed new quarterback in Greyson Lambert with plenty of skill players to lean on. An aggressive defense more familiar with the system its second year under defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta.

“We see what the potential is that we have,” tackle David Dean said. “We see the ceiling that we have and it’s only us that can stop us from reaching that ceiling.”

In many ways for the Cavaliers, it’s like last year’s 2-10 record never happened.

But it did and coach Mike London — who’s fifth year could determine if he gets a sixth at Virginia — is well aware things need to improve.

Virginia was fifth nationally in time of possession, keeping the ball for better than 33 minutes per game, but 110th in scoring, averaging just 19.6 points. They forced 21 turnovers but turned them into just 13 points, and ranked 74th nationally in red zone efficiency with just 21 touchdowns on 41 attempts.

“It’s great to execute, it’s great to have the ball, but if you don’t produce, if you don’t have points coming out of that, then that’s a statistic that obviously is not in our favor,” London said. “Our focus is on the executing of the offense. … One of the functions of an offense is scoring points.”

The hope is that Lambert, a 6-foot-5 redshirt sophomore who supplanted incumbent David Watford in the spring, will help, as will an emerging group of wide receivers. It may take a few of them to replace receiving leader Jake McGee, a 6-6 tight end who transferred to Florida for his final season.

“They’ve been the biggest surprise I think this spring,” offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild said. “That’s probably where we are most improved.”

Running back also is solid with Kevin Parks providing the power and fellow senior Khalek Shepherd and sophomore Taquan “Smoke” Mizzell both possessing the breakaway speed that can produce big plays.

The defense has two new assistants in defensive line coach Jappy Oliver and safeties coach Mike Archer, both of whom have histories working with Tenuta. The unit will be led by tackle David Dean, middle linebacker Henry Coley and safety Anthony Harris, whose eight interceptions led the nation.

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Here are five things to watch for with Virginia this season:

WHO’S BLOCKING?: The loss of left tackle Jay Whitmire to injury has left the Cavaliers scrambling to put together an offensive line, which is critical to everything. A week into camp, offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild said players were still being moved around to find the best combination. With offensive efficiency a focus, opening holes for the tailbacks and keeping Lambert upright will be imperatives.

THE SCHEDULE: The Cavaliers open with three straight home games, none of them easy, and a poor start could send the season into a tailspin before October. They open with expected national contender UCLA and then play a very experienced Richmond of the FCS and ACC newcomer Louisville in the first three weeks.

REPLACING McGEE: Hope always springs eternal before the games actually begin, and the talk of tough competition among the receiving corps needs to translate onto the field. TE Jake McGee was their best receiver until he transferred to Florida, and at least one big receiver needs to emerge as a go-to guy. Leading options appear to be WRs Kyle Dockins, Keeon Johnson and Miles Gooch and TE Zach Swanson.

NEW COACHES: Tenuta’s arrival last season meant that the players and his assistant coaches all had to learn his system, and that won’t be the case this year. Oliver and Archer both have worked with him before, and the players have a year under their belts in the system, which relies on ball disruption, forcing turnovers and sacking the quarterback. More of each of those would be a welcome development.

LONDON FALLING?: Virginia has won just six of 24 games the last two seasons, making an 8-5 record and bowl berth three years ago seem like a distant memory. The team worked extensively on chemistry in the offseason, and many players have said the losing has been the fault of the players, not the coach. Whether that accountability helps, and translates into victories, will determine the tone of the season.

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Follow Hank on twitter at: http://twitter.com/hankkurzjr

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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