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Charlie Strong makes Texas debut vs N Texas

By WTOP Staff

JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — For 16 years, Mack Brown led the Texas Longhorns, reviving a dormant program into a powerhouse that won one national championship and played for another.

Now it’s Charlie Strong’s turn.

Hired away from Louisville when Brown was pushed out of after four sub-par seasons, Strong’s first Longhorns team takes the field Saturday night against North Texas, a bowl team last season that is expected to contend for the Conference USA title.

Strong has had eight months to break down and rebuild a program that hasn’t won a Big 12 title since 2009, restore toughness and shed what he called a sense of entitlement that had crept in. He has kicked players off the team, suspended others and turned to last season’s injured quarterback, David Ash, to lead his offense.

“It’s about us putting a ‘T’ back into Texas. It’s still about just toughness, it’s about trust, it’s about just being a total team,” Strong said.

Brown dragged an injury-riddled team into the final game last season with a chance to the win the conference title, but a 30-10 loss to Baylor essentially shut the door on his Texas career. He was pushed out a week later, but was allowed to coach Texas in the Alamo Bowl, a punchless 30-7 loss to Oregon.

Texas turned to Strong, who seemed destined to be a career assistant until finally given his first head-coaching job at Louisville. A 37-16 record over four seasons there catapulted him to Texas, where he is the first black head coach of a men’s sports program in school history.

“There’s going to be a lot of emotion on Saturday, I know that. Just running through the tunnel is going to be something special,” Strong said.

Some things to watch when Texas faces North Texas:

STRONG: Texas fans will be watching everything he does, from how he runs out with the team to whether he knows the words of the song “The Eyes of Texas” when its’ over. Will he smile and clap a lot like Brown did, or does he scowl? At a place like Texas, Strong is under the microscope if he wins and most especially if he loses.

ASH’S HEAD: Ash missed most of last season with concussion symptoms and he faced serious questions at home whether he should continue playing. Ash insists he never seriously considered giving up football. Ash says he’s learning how to avoid hits, but 100,000 fans will be watch to see how he gets up if he gets popped by North Texas.

ASH’S TARGETS: Ash needs a breakout receiver. Jaxon Shipley who catches a lot of balls but rarely scores touchdowns, has been cleared to play after a training camp hamstring injury. Marcus Johnson displayed big-play ability in 2013 but tapered off the second half of the season.

NORTH TEXAS QB: A title contender in Conference USA, the Mean Green has a new quarterback in junior college transfer Josh Greer. He’ll be protected by a veteran offensive line, but how he handles his first start in front of 100,000 fans will likely determine whether North Texas can make a game of it.

TEXAS HELMETS: Yes, Texas players will have the burnt-orange Longhorn decals on their helmet. Strong created a stir in training camp by saying they had to “earn the right” to wear the school’s multimillion-dollar brand, and said this week they’ve done that.

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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