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Vols’ newcomers facing tough test from Utah State

By WTOP Staff

STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee coach Butch Jones understands his team will endure plenty of growing pains.

He just hopes the Volunteers’ newcomers don’t start their careers by taking a punch in the gut from Utah State, a program certainly capable of providing that kind of blow.

Utah State is one of only nine Football Bowl Subdivision programs to win 20 games and earn two bowl victories over the last two years. The return of star quarterback Chuckie Keeton from a knee injury that sidelined him for the final eight games of the 2013 season should give the Aggies even more confidence heading into Sunday’s game at Neyland Stadium.

“He’s one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the country, and he’ll play on Sundays,” Jones said. “Everything is about impacting and containing the quarterback. But let’s make one thing clear. It’s not just Chuckie Keeton. There’s a reason why they’ve won the amount of games they’ve won. They’re talented across the board.”

Utah State has shown it can be competitive in road games with big-name programs. When Keeton made his Utah State debut in 2011, the Aggies led defending national champion Auburn by 10 points late in the fourth quarter before falling 42-38. Utah State lost 17-14 at Southern California last season and fell 16-14 at Wisconsin in 2012.

“We just have to finish,” Utah State running back Joe Hill said. “I feel like in all the other big games, we didn’t finish at all. We need this game, and I feel we can get this game if we just come out with tenacity and don’t back down at all.”

While Utah State has gone 20-7 over the last two years, Tennessee is relying on youth to end its recent slide. The 32-man recruiting class that Tennessee signed in February was rated among the nation’s top five by multiple services. Most of those newcomers are expected to play Sunday.

Those newcomers may lack experience, but they also lack the baggage that has come along with four straight losing seasons.

“The thing I like is we have a fresh football team,” Jones said. “They don’t have past experiences in mind. They came here to win football games. They came here to be part of a great turnaround and get Tennessee football in its rightful place.”

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Some things to watch in Sunday’s Utah State-Tennessee game:

RETURNS FROM INJURIES: Keeton’s comeback has garnered much of the attention this week, but Tennessee also has a key player returning from injury. Curt Maggitt is expected to play Sunday after missing the entire 2013 season with a torn ACL. Jones has called Maggitt the Vols’ biggest leader. Maggitt will line up at both defensive end and linebacker, so he could spend much of the night chasing Keeton.

INEXPERIENCED LINES: Tennessee is the only FBS program without any returning starters on both the offensive and defensive lines. Senior tackle Kevin Whimpey is the only returning starter on Utah State’s offensive line. This game may come down to whether Keeton has enough time to throw, so the matchup between Utah State’s offensive line and Tennessee’s defensive front could prove critical.

GRAY’S RETURN TO KNOXVILLE: Utah State cornerback Daniel Gray began his career at Tennessee in 2012 before transferring. Sunday’s game marks his debut performance for the Aggies. “I’m sure there will be mixed emotions for him going in,” Utah State coach Matt Wells said. “He needs to be able to control those and play each snap and move on and have success.”

SPECIAL-TEAMS UNCERTAINTY: If this game comes down to a late field-goal attempt, Utah State has a more stable kicking situation. Jones said the choice between sophomore kicker George Bullock and freshman Aaron Medley may be a game-time decision. Neither has attempted a kick in a college game. Utah State has senior Nick Diaz, who was 17-of-23 on field-goal attempts last season. That isn’t Tennessee’s only special-teams issue. After ranking 92nd nationally in punt coverage last year, Tennessee must look out for JoJo Natson, who scored on two punt returns for Utah State a year ago.

NERVOUS NEWCOMERS?: Tennessee’s freshmen acknowledge they’ll probably feel some jitters when they take the field for the first time. The question is whether that nervous energy leads to mistakes. “For every football game, you always get a little nervous, but that nervousness is really excitement, just excitement to be out there with my team,” Tennessee freshman running back Jalen Hurd said.

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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