Skip to main content

Auburn’s Quan Bray continues to honor late mother

By WTOP Staff

JOHN ZENOR
AP Sports Writer

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Quan Bray might only touch the ball two or three times a game, but he has become a playmaker for No. 5 Auburn.

The Tigers’ senior receiver and punt return man is coming off the best performance of a career that hasn’t taken off like the onetime top recruit hoped. Bray scored touchdowns on catches of 37 and 44 yards and on a 76-yard punt return against Louisiana Tech. He has emerged as one of the nation’s top punt returners and made the most of limited touches.

Bray said he set leading the nation in punt returns as a goal coming into the season. Rated as one of the nation’s top all-purpose athletes out of high school, he’s carved a bigger role on the team for his final year at least in special teams.

“It means a lot because I came in, freshman All-American this and that, a lot of hype,” Bray said Tuesday. “I really haven’t done what I know I can do. It’s just a blessing to me just because I’ve been working hard and for coach to give me the opportunity, even though it’s my senior year. I’m just trying to make the most of my opportunities.”

Through it all, he continues to honor his late mother, Tonya Bray.

She never got to see Bray play for the Tigers, who face No. 15 LSU Saturday night. His father, Jeffery Jones is serving a life sentence for shooting and killing Tonya Bray on July 3, 2011 before the player’s freshman season.

For gameday, he honors her memory with a prayer and the message “RIP Ma” written in marker on his wrists. For life, Bray has her face tattooed onto his upper right arm above the message “R.I.P. Tonya.”

And for one afternoon, he was one of Auburn’s big stars.

Most of Bray’s biggest contributions have come as Auburn’s punt returner, a role largely taken over by Chris Davis last season. Now, Bray’s 36.8-yard average per return leads the nation. Just four games in, Bray has already become the first Auburn player since Mike Fuller in 1974 to score on two punt returns in a season.

Utah’s Kaelin Clay has returned three punts for touchdowns this season while nobody else has done it multiple times. Bray’s 184 punt return yards is more than 115 FBS teams.

“Quan Bray is a dangerous returner and we’re going to have to make sure that we get down under those punts and handle that return challenge,” LSU coach Les Miles said.

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said he’s not surprised by Bray’s success as a return man.

“We just asked him to raise his level,” Malzahn said on Tuesday. “Really, it was pretty simple. We just asked him to go more north-south, and he’s really been doing that. He’s got a lot of confidence right now.”

As a receiver, Bray hadn’t had many balls come his way before Louisiana Tech. Through three games, Bray had three catches for 19 yards, with just three career receiving touchdowns.

He gained 91 yards on three catches versus the Bulldogs.

It was a performance his teammates could savor, too.

“You see all the hard work that he puts in,” tailback Cameron Artis-Payne said. “He’s always an energy guy in the weight room and when we’re doing conditioning he stays after. He’s one of the first people (to arrive) and one of the last people to leave. To see all that hard work parlay to the field is great.”

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