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Georgia Tech set to host Wofford in season opener

By WTOP Staff

GEORGE HENRY
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Coach Paul Johnson says he has no problem defending his six-year record at Georgia Tech.

Entering Saturday’s opener against Wofford, the Yellow Jackets are 47-32 under Johnson, 14-13 over the last two seasons. They’ve finished either first or second every year but one in the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division.

“If you go back and look, we’ve got the fourth-most wins in the league,” Johnson said. “We’ve never finished lower than third in our division. We’ve won or tied it in three of the six years. I think that’s kind of where the program is.”

Johnson concedes that he’s unlikely to know much about the Jackets by playing an FCS opponent from the Southern Conference. Georgia Tech has beaten Elon, Western Carolina, South Carolina State and Jacksonville State twice by a combined 252-62 score in the last six openers.

“I think the program is on pretty solid ground, really,” Johnson said. “It all depends on your expectations, I guess. If you’re expecting to win every game every year, there’s not many teams that aren’t going to fall a little short of that.”

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Here are some things to look for when Georgia Tech kicks off its 101st season at Grant Field against Wofford:

THOMAS TAKES CHARGE: Johnson is eager to see how quarterback Justin Thomas fares as a first-time starter. Thomas, a redshirt sophomore, played in 10 games last year, rushing 33 times in the spread option attack for 7.1 yards per carry and two touchdowns. He was 9 for 17 passing with one touchdown and two interceptions. If the Jackets build a big lead against Wofford, Johnson indicated that No. 2 quarterback Tim Byerly might take some snaps, but for now, the spread option offense is in Thomas’ hands. “I think we’re way better at it than we were a year ago,” Johnson said.

LIGHT ON EXPERIENCE: Georgia Tech returns just 11 players who started at least seven games last season. Defensively, the Jackets are led by linebacker Quayshawn Nealy, tackle Adam Gotsis and a five-man secondary led by safeties Isaiah Johnson and Jamal Golden. “We certainly have a bunch of guys that are playing in their first game,” Johnson said. “It’s like anything. How are you going to hold up defensively? Offensively, are you going to take care of the ball? Are we going to get the ball to our wide receivers? The special teams — all of it — comes into play. I don’t think you’ve really found out a lot about your team until you’ve played three or four games.”

BRUISING IT: Senior Zach Laskey returns as the leading B-back, having rushed for 1,182 career yards. Laskey began his career as a defensive back and punt returner before moving to offense.

AIMING FOR MORE: Wofford is coming off a 5-6 season and a tie for fourth place in the Southern Conference. The Terriers return six starters on offense and seven on defense. Offensive lineman T.J. Chamberlain and defensive lineman Tarker Odom were the two Wofford players named first-team preseason All-Southern Conference.

LONGEVITITY: Wofford coach Mike Ayers is 176-121-1 in 27 seasons with the Terriers.

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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