Skip to main content

Doughty leads Western Kentucky over Navy , 36-27

By WTOP Staff

TODD KARPOVICH
Associated Press

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Even though Western Kentucky’s Brandon Doughty has been putting up huge numbers so far this season, he was initially willing to stick to shorter passes and let his running backs help carry the offense against Navy.

Doughty, however, eventually got into a groove and put together another stellar performance, completing 38 of 54 passes for 387 yards with a pair touchdowns to lead Western Kentucky to a 36-27 victory over the Midshipmen on Saturday.

Doughty, who entered leading the nation in passing yards per game (486.3) and total offense per game (480.7), also ran for a score and had an interception. Leon Allen had 102 yards on 17 carries for the Hilltoppers (2-2).

“Those guys have a bend-don’t-break defense,” Doughty said. “They are really disciplined and don’t bite on double-moves. That’s what we stressed this week, trying to stay patient. The time would come when I had to throw it over the top.”

Western Kentucky finished with 551 yards of total offense.

Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds ran 121 yards on 24 carries with two touchdowns and a fumble. Reynolds has scored in 12 consecutive games, which is also the longest current streak in the nation.

“It’s probably my worst game here,” Reynolds said. “I missed a lot of guys when they were open. Just have to go back to the drawing board and get it together.”

Noah Copeland had 104 yards on just 5 carries, including a 41-yard touchdown in the second quarter for the Midshipmen (2-3). Navy amassed 412 yards rushing.

Navy’s Ryan Williams-Jenkins suffered a neck injury returning a kickoff in the second quarter and had to be carted off the field. No other details were immediately available.

The Midshipmen opened a 21-13 lead on the first possession of the second half with a 7-play, 77-yard drive. Sophomore Toneo Gulley got his first career touchdown with a 19-yard run. However, Western Kentucky responded on the next possession with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Doughty to Jared Dangerfield, but failed on the two-point the conversion.

The Hilltoppers then took the lead, 22-21, on a 33-yard field goal by Garrett Schwettman with 26 seconds left in the third quarter. Doughty then had a 1-yard keeper with 6:52 left in the game to pad the margin.

Reynolds pulled the Midshipmen within 29-27 with a 2-yard run with 4:31 left in the game, but he was intercepted by Prince Charles Iworah attempting the 2-point conversion. Navy got the ball back with 1:36 remaining, but Keenan was intercepted again by Wonderful Terry, who ran 43 yards for the touchdown.

“He kind of stared his receiver down,” Terry said. “Coach always tells me don’t get on my back-peddle too early. I was able to have a great break on the ball and take it for six.”

Western Kentucky beat Navy 19-7 last season.

After Schwettman made a 37-yard field goal for the Hilltoppers, the Midshipmen responded with a 4-yard TD run by Reynolds for a 7-3 lead with 2:05 left in the first quarter.

Navy opened a 14-6 lead midway through the second quarter on the 41-yard run by Copeland. However, a fumble by Reynolds on his own 24 set up a 13-yard touchdown from Doughty to Willie McNeal that pulled Western Kentucky to within a point with 9:32 left in the half.

Navy has eight turnovers through five games this season after committing just 10 all last year. Opponents have scored 27 points off those turnovers.

“We had lots of breakdowns,” Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “We stubbed ourselves in the foot with either a penalty or turnover. We stopped ourselves.”

Western Kentucky drove to the Navy 8 in the closing seconds of the half, but Doughty was intercepted by Daniel Gonzales to end the threat.

“We knew going into it on both sides of the ball that this was a good football team and they played some good competition,” Western Kentucky coach Jeff Brohm said about Navy. “We knew we were going to have to play 60 minutes to win. We continued to battle and fight. They gave up some big plays, but a lot of people have against that offense. They found a way to make plays when they needed to.”

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote