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BYU blowout a year ago still hangs over Texas

By WTOP Staff

JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — It was the stuff of Texas nightmares: BYU quarterback Taysom Hill and the Cougars ripping the Longhorns for 550 yards rushing last season in a crushing and embarrassing loss.

It’s also a nightmare the Longhorns have had to live over and over again. BYU’s 40-21 romp through the Texas defense featured heavily in the low-lights film new coach Charlie Strong and his staff subjected their new players to shortly after they got to campus.

The reminders won’t stop until BYU (1-0) and Texas (1-0) play again Saturday night in Austin.

“We still hear about it. That’s just how these (coaches) are,” Texas senior cornerback Quandre Diggs said. “They are going to continue to rub it in our face and that’s what they want to do.”

Last season’s loss was galling on several levels for Texas. Coach Mack Brown had been promoting his team as worthy of a return to national prominence after three sub-par seasons. Instead, a national television audience saw Texas get pushed around like a high school team.

Brown fumed on the flight back to Austin and fired defensive coordinator Manny Diaz the next day in a desperate attempt to save his season. But the fire under Brown had been lit and he was gone in December after 16 seasons.

And while the defense was embarrassed, the offense was beaten up in ways that are still affecting the Longhorns. Quarterback David Ash suffered his first concussion against BYU last season and has played only six quarters of football since.

Ash started Texas’ win over North Texas last week, but experienced headaches and dizziness shortly after the game and on Monday was ruled out against BYU. Sophomore Tyrone Swoopes will get his first career start and it will come behind a patchwork offensive line with three starters out for injury (center Dominic Espinosa) or suspensions (tackles Desmond Harrison and Kennedy Estelle).

Texas officials have set no timetable for Ash’s return, but his injury history suggests it could be a long time — if ever.

A year ago, Ash threw a pair of touchdowns but Texas didn’t score again after he was hurt in the second half. The romp began when Hill sprinted 68 yards for BYU’s first touchdown. Texas never came close to stopping BYU’s option after that and Hill scored twice more on long runs.

“It was surreal. It was like I was able to see a childhood dream come true,” Hill said. “We just had so much fun.”

BYU finished with a school record for yards rushing. Texas set a record for most yards allowed.

Diggs called the defensive collapse “probably the most embarrassed I’ve ever been.”

New Longhorns defensive coordinator Vance Bedford, who played at Texas, was at Louisville with Strong last season. He watched the game on television and was shocked by what he saw.

“I grew up in a wishbone era – Oklahoma, Alabama – and 300 yards rushing back in those days was something special,” Bedford said.

The rematch will be a big test to see just how far Strong has taken his new team with his disciplinarian approach. The Longhorns returned most of their defensive starters from a year ago and held North Texas to just 94 total yards last week.

But Hill and the Cougars are something different altogether. Hill ran for 97 yards and two touchdowns and passed for three more TDs last week in a season-opening win at Connecticut.

Texas will be eager to avenge their embarrassment, Hill said, and the Cougars will be ready.

“I’m sure they’ve had an intense week of practice,” he said. “We’re prepared to come and match their energy.”

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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