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Justin Thomas takes over at QB for Georgia Tech

By WTOP Staff

GEORGE HENRY
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Justin Thomas is ready to take plenty of hits as Georgia Tech’s starting quarterback.

It’s all part of the job in coach Paul Johnson’s spread option offense.

Quarterbacks carry the ball as much as running backs. They are tackled lightly in practice, even during the season, to get ready for the hammering they take in games.

“No big deal,” Thomas said Tuesday. “I’m just as big as anyone out there. I’m 190. It’s all the same. I’m just going out there playing football, something I’ve been doing since I was a little kid. I’m ready.”

When the Yellow Jackets open the season Saturday at home against Wofford, Thomas will be Johnson’s most recent full-time starting quarterback, following Josh Nesbitt, Tevin Washington and Vad Lee.

All have stayed relatively healthy. Nesbitt’s season-ending injury, a broken arm in November 2010, occurred as he tried to tackle a Virginia Tech player following an interception.

“If you go back and look, we’ve been here six years, and it’s the same party line every year — that guys are going to get knocked out and you need to have two or three of them with the licks they take,” Johnson said. “To be the best of my knowledge, we haven’t one knocked out yet.”

The 5-foot-11 Thomas, listed at 185 pounds by the school, easily beat out Tim Byerly for the job in spring and summer practices. Johnson says that Thomas has proven quick enough to compensate for an undersized frame.

“Can Justin Thomas, at 185, do the same things that Josh Nesbitt, at 220, did on short yardage? Probably not,” Johnson said. “But if you’re good at reading (the defense) and you’re good at doing other things, you don’t have to. If we call a ‘follow’ play, J.T. ain’t going to go, ‘Oh, no.’ He’s going to run it.”

Thomas will run an offense that’s finished among the nation’s top six in rushing during each of its six years under Johnson, and the coach is again returning to his playbook roots.

Lee, last year’s starter, occasionally took snaps in a shotgun formation to take advantage of his passing arm, but that approach has been scrapped by Johnson to best use Thomas’ skills as a perimeter runner and passer.

Thomas’ primary asset is speed. He won the 100 meters with a time of 10.79 seconds among Alabama’s top three high school classifications. In 33 attempts last year for the Jackets, he averaged 7.1 yards per carry in 33 rushing attempts.

“I think we’re pretty good at what we do,” Johnson said. “Contrary to popular opinion, you can’t run the BYU passing offense one week and then transition to what we do and then the next week (use a) run zone read. You can do it, but you’re not going to be any good at it. So it’s like you want to get good at something.”

Georgia Tech, which went 7-6 last year, is one of only 11 FBS schools that don’t have a current quarterback with a career start. Thomas played in 10 games last year, Byerly in four.

“We totally support each other,” Thomas said. “Tim’s got my back and I’ve got his. We just want to win.”

Johnson says that Thomas has the skills and smarts needed to help the Jackets do what they do best — control time of possession and wear down the defense.

“Depending on how they’re playing and how you block it and how you change things, you’ve got to be good at the fundamentals or it doesn’t matter,” Johnson said. “If you can’t read the thing and you can’t keep the ball off the ground, it doesn’t matter.”

___

Follow George Henry at www.twitter.com/georgehenryAP

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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