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No. 7 UCLA comes east to face Virginia

By WTOP Staff

HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Virginia has a new quarterback and all sorts of optimism heading into its opener. The Cavaliers also have one of the most formidable opponents in the country in No. 7 UCLA.

The Bruins have two players — dual-threat quarterback Brett Hundley and linebacker and running back Myles Jack — expected to kick off their Heisman Trophy candidacies in Saturday’s noon start.

Virginia doesn’t have any Heisman hopefuls, but is excited about quarterback Greyson Lambert. He took the job from David Watford after Watford started all 12 games in a 2-10 season a year ago.

“We get to see where we’re at at an earlier stage,” Lambert said.

The Cavaliers enter the game on a nine-game losing streak, and have fared poorly in home games against Pac-12 schools. Southern California beat them 52-7 in 2008, and Oregon manhandled them 59-10 last season.

Across the board, however, the Cavaliers think this season will be different, bolstered by an additional year to learn the offense of Steve Fairchild and the attacking defense of Jon Tenuta.

The defense expects to start fast, in spite of the accolades thrown Hundley’s way.

“When you’re going against one of the top teams in the nation and you’re in the spotlight (the) first game, you have a chance to show the world just how good you are,” defensive tackle David Dean said.

“I think this is definitely going to be an opportunity to not only show how good we are as a defense and as a unit, but also to show that we can play with elite offenses.”

The biggest question mark for the Cavaliers is the offensive line, one of the least experienced in the country. It needs to give Lambert time to throw to a roster of wide receivers that Fairchild called the most pleasant surprise of training camp, and to open holes for returning 1,000-yard runner Kevin Parks.

“He’s more than likely to break the first tackle,” Jack said. “He’s not just going to go down with arm tackles or anything. He keeps his feet running, so we’re going to have to gang tackle him more.

“We just have to get him down because he is a very good running back, very talented.”

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What to watch when No. 7 UCLA plays at Virginia:

CONTAINING HUNDLEY: He’s one of the nation’s top quarterbacks, and can beat you with his arm and his feet. The Cavaliers love to try to play as fast as possible and pressure the quarterback, but may have slow up a little bit to make sure they don’t overrun the pocket and allow Hundley to run free.

LAMBERT’S DEBUT: The 6-foot-5, 235-pound redshirt sophomore got some playing time last season, and says the difference between what he knew then and now is “night and day.” He’s an unquestioned leader of the team, has a big arm and a vastly improved stable of wide receivers to throw to, and a performance that justifies confidence in him could give the Cavaliers something to build on, even if they come up short. “I understand the speed of the game, but also what defenses are actually trying to accomplish on every play, how they call their defense according to our offense and that sort of thing,” Lambert said this week.

WHERE’S JACK?: Myles Jack starred both ways as a freshman, primarily as a hard-hitting linebacker, but also as an occasional ball carrier. He was the first player named Offensive and Defensive rookie of the year in the Pac-12. He averaged 7 yards per carry and scored seven TDs, including a 66-yard run. Too much time shadowing Hundley could allow Jack or RB Jordan James to deliver punishment on the ground.

START TIME: Teams often struggle when crossing three time zones for a game, and Virginia couldn’t have asked for anything better than a noon start, which is essentially 9 a.m. Bruins time. The Cavaliers’ offense was woeful last season, and getting some points on the board early could provide a huge boost, especially since only about 45,000 fans — 16,000 lower than capacity — are expected to attend.

ONE FOR THE THUMB? Embattled Virginia coach Mike London is 4-0 in season openers at Virginia, with three of the victories coming against FCS programs. Virginia beat BYU in last season’s opener.

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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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