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Is a quarterback controversy brewing for Virginia?

By WTOP Staff

HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Even Matt Johns was surprised to hear his number called before halftime.

It came right after Virginia quarterback Greyson Lambert threw his second interception that was returned for a touchdown, putting the Cavaliers in a 21-3 deficit against seventh-ranked UCLA.

“I was surprised, but I couldn’t let my teammates see that and I wasn’t going to let them see that,” Johnson said after a relief effort that left his teammates gushing.

UCLA ultimately won 28-20, but Johns’ effort raised a question about whether there may be a quarterback switch in the works at Virginia.

“He was phenomenal,” linebacker Henry Coley said after Johnson wrapped up a 13-for-22, 154-yard, two-touchdown day in his first real action. “He came in, he stepped up. He wore his big boy pants.”

The accolades sounded a lot like what players and coaches said about Lambert before the season. That was before a tipped pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown, a completed third-down pass was fumbled away, leading to a 75-yard fumble return touchdown. Then, he didn’t see a defender who thought he knew what was coming, guessed right and intercepted another pass for a third defensive TD.

“They have a little bit of a tendency that Eric was clued into,” Bruins coach Jim Mora Jr. said of linebacker Eric Kendricks, who waltzed 37 yards for the score. Virginia said a check into its history showed it was the first time since at least 1930 that the Cavaliers gave up three defensive scores.

As it turned out, that was what it took, along with one scoring drive led by heralded Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley for a critical touchdown in the third quarter.

Hundley, widely regarded as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks, was harassed all day by Virginia’s pressure defense, and made the biggest play of the day for UCLA with his feet. It came on a 6-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter when he overpowered safety Quin Blanding on a 6-yard TD run.

The Cavaliers, 21-point underdogs, had a first down at the Bruins 19 late in the game, but three consecutive running plays netted just two yards and irritated the fans, and linebacker Myles Jack disrupted Matt Johns’ fourth-and-8 pass to Doni Dowling and it fell to the ground.

Lambert declined to speak with reporters after the game, and Johns declined to speculate on whi will start next week when Richmond, featuring two former Virginia quarterbacks, come to Scott Stadium.

“No, that’s up to the coaches,” he said. “They’ll decide that and we’ll leave it to them.”

Johns led the Cavaliers to a touchdown on his first series, and played the entire second half.

UCLA led just 21-17 and had not scored an offensive touchdown when it took over at its 34 late in the third quarter, but that’s when Hundley finally put a drive together against the Virginia defense. The Cavaliers sacked him five times and held him to 39 rushing yards, but couldn’t shut him out.

Hundley completed passes of 15 yards to Eldridge Massington and 25 yards to Thomas Duarte on the 66-yard march, and capped it with a 6-yard run up the middle, bulling over safety Blanding for the TD.

That made it 28-17, and all the momentum brought by Johns’ play dissipated.

Johns put together his second touchdown march on Virginia’s second drive of the second half. He kept it alive by hitting Dowling for 11 yards on a third-and-6, saw Kevin Parks run for 13 on a fourth-and-2 to the Bruins’ 13, then hit Darius Jennings for 23 yards and the touchdown to make it 21- 17.

The drive brought life back into the crowd of 44,479, the smallest for the Virginia opener since 1998. But after the teams exchanged possession, Hundley put together the drive that proved the difference.

Lambert and the Cavaliers’ defense were heralded as reasons for optimism, but Lambert didn’t even make it to halftime. He had one passed tipped at the line and intercepted by Ishmael Adams, who returned it 20 yards for a touchdown, and another one that Eric Kendricks picked off and took 37 yards for a score. In between, Lambert hit Kyle Dockins for what appeared to be a third-down conversion in Bruins territory, but Dockins fumbled into the hands of Randall Goforth, who returned it 75 yards for a touchdown.

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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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