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Former Virginia QB ready to take on the Cavaliers

By WTOP Staff

HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Michael Rocco just wants to think about the game.

The fifth-year senior quarterback at Richmond will be one of the Spiders’ game captains on Saturday when they play at Virginia. It’s where Rocco began his career and had a fair amount of success.

Rocco led the Cavaliers to an 8-5 record and their last bowl game in 2011, becoming the first quarterback ever to engineer victories at Miami and Florida State in the same season along the way.

Rocco hopes some of what he achieved at Virginia will bring a warm reception from the fans.

“I hope it’s positive,” he said. “I hope people remember the good times we had at UVA like I try to do, but at the end of the day, it will last five seconds and I will move on and play the game.”

After the 2011 season, five-star prospect Phillip Sims transferred to Virginia from Alabama. Coach Mike London played both quarterbacks, and the Cavaliers stumbled to a chaotic 4-8 finish.

Rocco transferred, and Sims was eventually thrown off the team for academic reasons.

After sitting out last season because of NCAA transfer rules, Rocco is now the backup behind Michael Strauss, another former Virginia quarterback who transferred. Spiders coach Danny Rocco, a former Virginia assistant who is also Michael’s uncle, said both quarterbacks will get to play on Saturday.

They will be facing a team with its own quarterback issues.

The Cavaliers’ quarterback situation remains unsettled after their opening loss to UCLA. Greyson Lambert, anointed as the starter in the spring and heralded as the unquestioned team leader, was benched before halftime after throwing his second interception that was returned for a touchdown. Backup Matt Johns came on and threw two touchdown passes in his first college action.

London said he will decide who starts on Saturday, but that both will play.

Michael Rocco hosted both Lambert and Johns on their recruiting visits, and considers them friends, but said neither has reached out this week seeking advice on how best to handle the competition.

“They saw me handle kind of what I handled at UVA. I think that’s enough really,” he said. “They’re both great kids, great leaders. They’re both great guys and I think they’ll handle it the right way.”

For their parts, Rocco and Strauss just want to play their game.

“I’m not trying to prove anything to anybody,” Michael Rocco said. “I mean, I’m a fifth-year senior and I’ve had a lot of good times in my career and I’ve had some bad times. I believe that I’ve shown what I’ve shown and it really doesn’t matter anymore.”

Strauss agrees, and said losing focus on the game would be counter-productive.

“That will be the last thing on my mind and Mike’s mind, what’s happened in the past, I’m sure,” he said. “You’ve just got to stay in the moment and play the game. If you start thinking about past things or your experience out there, you’re thinking about the wrong things.”

___

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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