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TCU spreading things out for 3rd Big 12 season

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — TCU coach Gary Patterson had been thinking about spreading out his offense since the Horned Frogs got in the Big 12 two years ago.

After four conference losses by three points or less last year, including three losses the final month by a combined eight points to cap a 4-8 season, Patterson knew it was time for “truly a change of philosophy.” He hired co-coordinators Doug Meacham from Houston and Sonny Cumbie from Texas Tech to give TCU its own version of a faster-paced spread offense so prevalent in the Big 12 and across the country.

“The point of this offense is to win,” said Patterson, the longtime defensive coordinator coming off only his second losing record in 13 seasons as TCU’s head coach.

While the Frogs have put up big offensive numbers in the past, and scored at least 27 points seven times last season, the changes come heading into their third Big 12 season after a dominating run in the Mountain West.

“I feel we get to better utilize the speed and the size and the talent that we have at receivers and running back,” said David Porter, who had a team-high five touchdown catches last season. “I feel it was a great change, transitioning into this new offense.”

Trevone Boykin last year became the first TCU player ever with to have a 200-yard passing game, 100-yard receiving game and 100-yard rushing game in the same season, and the multi-faceted quarterback could do any number of things this season. Quarterback Matt Joeckel has joined the Frogs for his final season after backing up Johnny Manziel in a similar spread offense at Texas A&M.

“As long as I’m on the field making plays … that’s all that matters,” Boykin said.

Here are five things to watch for TCU this season:

DECISION TIME: With two Saturdays off the first five weeks of the season before conference play, TCU has some time to figure things out. “Your starting quarterback the first game might not be the starting quarterback five weeks from then going into the Oklahoma game, which is the first weekend in October,” Patterson said. “Two off weeks to develop players. We’re going to find out what that is and how we do it.” TCU opens Aug. 30 against Samford, then has open weeks before and after playing Minnesota on Sept. 13.

FAST MOVING: Cumbie said the new offensive system is not complicated, “but we go really fast.” He said the biggest thing is the communication from the quarterback to everybody else. “Talk fast, think fast, play fast,” Cumbie said. “And hopefully keep it as simple as we can.”

NO FIELDS: Devonte Fields, the Big 12’s top defensive player as a freshman in 2012 with 10 sacks, was selected as the preseason Big 12 defensive player of the year even though he played only three games last year because of a suspension and a season-ending foot injury. But after an alleged assault against his ex-girlfriend this summer, Fields was “separated” from the university for an alleged violation of the student conduct code. Without Fields for most of last season, the Frogs were second in the Big 12 allowing 356 total yards a game. They still return nine defensive starters this year.

CAT-LIKE: B.J. Catalon has started only five games the last two seasons, but led TCU in rushing each time. He also had a receiving TD and ran a kickoff back for a score. The Frogs expect that Catalon can touch the ball at least 20 times a game, whether that means 15 carries and five catches — or 10 and 10.

CLOSE TO HOME: TCU doesn’t have to leave the state of Texas until its Nov. 1 game at West Virginia. That is two weeks before going to Kansas in the Horned Frogs’ only other regular-season trip outside the Lone Star State.

___

Online:

AP college football site: http://collegefootball.ap.org/ .

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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