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Towles ready for first start as Kentucky’s QB

By WTOP Staff

GARY B. GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Patrick Towles isn’t about to let nerves spoil the opportunity he has waited for his whole career.

Kentucky’s new starting quarterback has encountered many bumps, from being thrown into action as a freshman in 2012 because of injuries to struggling to learn a new coaching staff and offensive scheme last fall. Being redshirted has turned out to be a blessing for Towles, who revamped his mechanics and mindset well enough to claim the job he always dreamed about.

Towles knows his first career start in Saturday’s season opener against Tennessee-Martin won’t be totally smooth. But considering the obstacles he overcame, he hungers for precision.

The same can be said for the Wildcats, who begin Year 2 under coach Mark Stoops seeking more victories after consecutive 2-10 seasons.

Asked this week about his focus approaching the game, the 6-foot-5 Towles said, “It’s hard, but I’m excited. You know that you have to get prepared for the game and you can’t be all excited and have your going mind everywhere in 25 different places during practice or else you’re not going to get anything productive done.”

For Kentucky, offensive productivity means moving the ball quickly and lighting up the scoreboard after averaging just 20.5 points game and running a Southeastern Conference-low 774 plays last season. Towles was a spectator to those struggles because of his slowness releasing the ball, an area he addressed in offseason workouts with a private QB coach.

He eventually beat out Reese Phillips and Drew Barker for the job and is charged with executing offensive coordinator Neal Brown’s up-tempo, pass-happy Air Raid scheme. Its success depends on keeping Towles poised and comfortable, though Brown expects some jitters from his QB.

“You just go out and play through it,” he said. “The good thing is he’s played a little bit, but this is the first time I guess he’s truly been the man. … If he was starting for his fourth straight year, he’d be nervous in game one too.”

Kentucky seeks a strong start against the FCS Skyhawks and next week against Ohio to build confidence and momentum they hope will carry over into SEC play. But the Wildcats aren’t looking past their inaugural meeting against a UT-Martin squad looking to improve on last year’s 7-5 finish.

The Skyhawks seek their first win in four tries against the SEC by trying to put the brakes on the Wildcats’ plans.

“My goal is for us to play as well as we can play, no matter who we play,” UT Martin coach Jason Simpson said, adding that his team “must avoid costly mistakes and obviously give yourself a chance (to win) in the fourth quarter.”

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Here are some things to look for when Tennessee-Martin and Kentucky meet on Saturday:

NEW KENTUCKY O-LINE: Junior Jordan Swindle moves from right to left tackle in place of two-year starter Darrian Miller, who is suspended for this week’s game. The Wildcats will also start two redshirt freshmen on the right side with guard Ramsey Myers and tackle Kyle Meadows.

BELL-RINGER: Kentucky’s offensive line must account for Tennessee-Martin senior linebacker Tony Bell, a preseason All-America after posting 10.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss as a junior.

WILDCATS’ YOUTH: Stoops’ promise to use both recruiting classes extensively is reflected in Kentucky’s two-deep depth chart featuring 21 freshmen and sophomores. The Wildcats’ wide receiver list alone features four freshmen.

SKYHAWKS QBS: Junior Jarod Neal and senior Dylan Favre — nephew of former NFL QB great Brett Favre — combined for 2,610 yards with nine TDs each last season. Simpson doesn’t seem inclined to pick just one signal-caller and said this week that “I don’t think it’s fair to say this guy is going to get the whole game because there’s another guy sitting right behind him that can make some plays as well. It’ll work itself out.”

KEEP IT MOVING: Last year’s adjustment to a new staff and system has given way to familiarity that coaches believe will result in quicker execution for the Wildcats, particularly on offense. Said Brown, “there’s going to be some times in this game where we’ll play at a really quick pace, faster than we ever executed last year.”

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Follow Gary B. Graves on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/GaryBGraves

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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