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Irish open season vs Rice under academic cloud

By WTOP Staff

TOM COYNE
Associated Press

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame opens the season short-handed for the second straight season because of academic troubles.

A year after starting quarterback Everett Golson missed the season because of academic impropriety, five players are being held out indefinitely while the university investigates whether they received improper help on homework and papers. That includes three starters, two on defense.

That may hamper the Irish again, especially the young and inexperienced defense.

The Irish will be without starting cornerback KeiVarae Russell, starting defensive end Ishaq Williams, two defensive reserves as well as leading receiver DaVaris Daniels. Coach Brian Kelly said it’s important for the Irish to get off to a strong start against Rice, particularly on defense.

“There’s going to be some times during the season where we’re going to have to slow down and have some conversations with some guys and make sure that we don’t lose them,” Kelly said. “Because the only way you can continue to move this group ahead is if they don’t lose their confidence.”

Rice is coming off a 10-4 season where the Owls won their first outright conference title in 57 years and are expected to challenge in Conference USA again. Rice quarterback Driphus Jackson said the team is more confident heading into Notre Dame Stadium than they were heading into last year’s opener at Texas A&M.

“I feel like a lot of the guys are not looking at it as this huge team we’re going against. I think we understand that we can compete with just about anybody in the nation. We’re looking forward to going out there and making a statement,” he said.

Things to watch Saturday when Rice faces Notre Dame:

GOLSON RETURNS: Golson said he has a greater appreciation for football after spending a season watching the Irish games on television.

“I’ve had time to evaluate. I’ve had time to see different things being away from the game, so it means a lot more now,” Golson said. “I’m just so grateful just for the opportunity to be back here because it could have been another way.”

Rice defensive tackle Christian Covington said the Owls are taking a similar approach to preparing for Golson as they did last season for Johnny Manziel, “because he’s that caliber of a player.”

“He’s a great quarterback. You have to consider to be a threat in every position that he can be in when he plays the ball. He’s a very fast runner. He’s a read-option threat. He also can throw the ball pretty well,” he said.

MORE PRESSURE: The Owls are looking to put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks after managing just 20 sacks last season, ranking 104th out of 123 teams last season.

“We made an emphasis that we want to be able to get to the quarterback and apply more pressure,” Covington said.

WATCHING FILM: Rice coach David Bailiff said his staff has had to watch more film than usual to get ready for Notre Dame because the Irish are expected to look a lot different on offense with the return of a mobile quarterback and a new style under defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder.

“You look at Golson’s year and then you look at last year for some personnel groupings. So you had to watch a lot more video than normally you would just to get a little bearing of what they’re going to do the first game,” Bailiff said. “Same thing with the defensive coordinator. You can’t look at last year’s video, so you just try to look at some of his stops and what he likes to do.”

FIELDTURF: The game will mark the debut of Notre Dame’s new FieldTurf, a change from grass that upset some alumni. Kelly said the team practiced in Notre Dame Stadium on Thursday and the artificial surface made it feel 10 to 15 degrees warmer, noting “the rubber and sand definitely make a difference in there.” The forecast calls for temperatures in the low 80s with possible thunderstorms.

SELLOUT STREAK: Notre Dame lists Saturday’s game vs. Rice as the 238th straight sellout at Notre Dame, saying it has sold out every game since a Thanksgiving Day game against Air Force in 1973. However, tickets were still available on the university website Friday. Senior associate athletic director John Heisler said the school is confident the game will sell out.

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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