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Penn State’s Franklin has long-term plan

By WTOP Staff

JIM CARLSON
Associated Press

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin has a long-term plan.

“As fans and coaches and players, we’d all like it to happen faster,” Franklin said Tuesday.

He knows it takes time to develop a cohesive offensive line, powerful running game and team depth.

The first-year coach has guided Penn State to a 3-0 start, with the Nittany Lions rallying to beat Central Florida and Rutgers. Quarterback Christian Hackenberg has been hit, harried and harassed on a weekly basis, and Penn State is ranked 117th out of 125 NCAA FBS teams with an average of just over 75 yards rushing.

“Obviously, we’re going to have to improve in the running game and our protection,” Franklin said. “That’s going to be very, very important. I think it really comes down to our communication and coordination up front, making sure that all five or six guys, depending on the protection and the play, are all on same page and working together and that hasn’t been the case so far.

“That’s time, that’s chemistry, that’s all those things that have to happen.”

It won’t happen, Franklin said, without an overall grasp of the program’s future, something he said he and his staff possess.

“I’ve been a lot of places where your focus is on the game that week and that you’re not really connecting with the freshmen and you have a lot of turnover with the freshmen,” Franklin said. “I think that’s so important to keep those guys so involved and have fun and enjoy themselves and also see that they have bright futures here. That’s really, really important as well.

“We try to balance that. To me, recruiting and coaching and developing, you’re really splitting those things year-round. We take a lot of pride in developing the whole program and developing the whole kid,” Franklin said.

A lot of communication goes into solid line play; a little bravery is involved as well, Franklin said.

“It deals with really being confident and brave enough to make a (blocking) call,” he said. “Because if someone makes the call and it’s wrong, then there’s someone to blame. I don’t want them to approach it that way.

“I want them to make a decision they think is a right decision for the team and move on. If we make a mistake we learn from it, you man up to it, you own it and you move forward. I think they understand that.”

Despite the lackluster rushing attack, Penn State is ranked first in passing offense (360.7 yards per game) in the Big Ten (and 10th nationally) behind Hackenberg, the conference leader in total offense with 1,103 yards.

A scoring defense that’s ranked first in the Big Ten and 11th nationally, and a rushing defense that is No. 2 in the conference and No. 7 in the country has provided momentum, Franklin said.

“Our guys have done a great job of having a sense of urgency when we needed it most,” he said.

“I think there are a lot of things that factor into it. It’s not like we’re just waiting till the fourth quarter to call those plays.”

NOTES: A movement on Facebook is setting up what organizers are calling a “Joe-out” for Saturday’s home game against Massachusetts. People are urged to either dress like late Penn State coach Joe Paterno or display the No. 409 to signify his overall total number of victories. The NCAA restored Penn State’s available scholarships to a full allotment of 85 last week and also made the university eligible for the postseason. Those were sanctions the university had placed on it after the Jerry Sandusky child-abuse scandal. The NCAA also removed 111 Paterno-led victories from the record book.

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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