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Panthers hit reset after loss to Iowa

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ray Vinopal’s speech was short and to the point.

Rather than fiery histrionics, the Pittsburgh senior safety opted for a simple reminder following a second-half collapse in a 24-20 loss to Iowa on Saturday that ended his team’s promising 3-0 start.

“I said, ‘Everything that we want to do is still intact. We can still achieve all of our goals,” Vinopal said.

Namely, win the ACC Coastal Division, advance to the conference title game and go to a bold-faced bowl game for the first time in a decade.

“It’s a long season, a 12-game season, and we still have eight ahead of us,” Vinopal said.

The message resonated in a locker room filled with more than 80 freshmen and sophomores, including running back James Conner.

“Now we know what this feels like and we don’t want to feel like this anymore,” Conner said Monday.

Figuring out how to finish off quality teams is a good way to start. Pitt dominated the Hawkeyes for the first 30 minutes, building a 17-7 lead behind Conner and an offensive line that took charge up front.

It disappeared over the game’s final 30 minutes as Iowa slowed down Conner, holding him to 23 yards over his final 11 carries, while methodically rallying. Conner took his share of the blame even while taking over as the nation’s leading rusher with 699 yards through four games, a school record.

“I thought I could have done a couple of things different,” Conner said. “My runs, I could have kept them (straight ahead) more instead of breaking to the outside. Everybody takes responsibility.”

That’s a part of the culture within the Panthers that has shifted under Chryst. Vinopal acknowledged there was a time in the program when defeat was shrugged off. Not so much anymore.

“Any time you have a loss, it’s tough, but compared to previous years, you could tell it was bothering people,” he said.

Two days later the Panthers were still stewing even as they tried to move on.

“The vibe is a little bit better,” Conner said. “We realized we should have won that game, but we can’t get that game back.”

Instead, Pitt will press on. As good as the Panthers have looked at times, there is plenty to work on. Quarterback Chad Voytik passed for a career-high 250 yards against Iowa, but badly missed wide receiver Tyler Boyd twice in Iowa territory late in the fourth quarter. The first incompletion resulted in a turnover on downs, the other sailed into the arms of Hawkeyes safety Anthony Gair.

While Chryst praised Voytik’s maturation, he acknowledged the sophomore remains a work in progress after the fourth start of his career.

One of the biggest issues at the moment is finding a complement to Conner and Boyd, who touched the ball a combined 42 times. The rest of the Pitt skill players touched it 20 times, with five of them coming on designed runs by Voytik.

“We want to get everyone (involved),” Chryst said. “I’m no stranger to that. He’s got to keep growing. We’ve got to keep growing.”

___

Online: www.collegefootball.ap.org

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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