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Lack of running game slows Iowa State

By WTOP Staff

CHUCK SCHOFFNER
Associated Press

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State has veterans on the offensive line, experienced running backs, and a quarterback who has been around.

In other words, all the ingredients a team needs for a strong running game.

Except it’s not happening.

The Cyclones are last in the Big 12 and 110th out of 125 teams nationally in rushing. They are averaging only 104 yards a game and 3.4 yards a carry. Quarterback Sam Richardson has the team’s longest run (47 yards) and he is also the leading rusher, with more yards than all the running backs combined.

As coach Paul Rhoads put it: “There is no running attack.”

“You’ve got to run the football and you’ve got to defend the run if you want to be successful,” Rhoads said Monday “We’re not even scratching the surface at doing that.”

Running backs Aaron Wimberly and DeVondrick Nealy have barely dented opposing defenses. In 65 carries between them, they have accounted for a mere 185 yards, or 2.8 per play. Their longest run has been Wimberly’s 16-yard touchdown against North Dakota State on the 10th play of the season.

In Saturday night’s 49-28 loss to No. 7 Baylor, Wimberly, Nealy and freshman Martinez Syria combined for a paltry 28 yards on 20 carries.

Richardson ran for 99 yards in that game and leads the team with 218. That isn’t by design, because most of those yards have come on scrambles.

“We’ve got to fix it,” Rhoads said. “It’s certainly being addressed. It’s not something we’re putting our heads in the sand about.”

As the Cyclones (1-3, 0-2 Big 12) began preparing for their game at No. 21 Oklahoma State next Saturday, Rhoads said there’s plenty of blame to go around for the running woes.

“We need to do a better job of blocking. That’s not just the interior five, that’s everybody,” he said. “Receivers are part of the blocking group and the tight ends. And our running backs need to do a better job of running the football. We’ve got to make some folks miss. In watching Oklahoma State, other people are taking care of every gap, too, and sometimes backs make folks miss. We need that added to the quotient.”

Iowa State returned starters at every offensive line position, including four-year regular Tom Farniok at center. Tackle Jacob Gannon is a senior, and tackle Brock Dagel and guards Jamison Lak and Oni Omoile are juniors.

Redshirt freshman Jake Campos moved ahead of Gannon at right tackle, but Campos was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school. Another guard, Daniel Burton, is just a sophomore, but he started last year.

“I’m not going to place the blame on anybody, but I definitely would say the offensive line could play better, that’s for sure,” Burton said. “It’s obvious, and I think we know it. It’s disappointing as an offensive lineman. We put a lot of work in that. It doesn’t work out like it’s supposed to sometimes.”

Rhoads had hoped to hold Syria out this season, but the need for another back arose when junior Rob Standard left the team. Syria, who made his season debut against Baylor, also gives the team another dimension because at 6 feet and 205 pounds, he is bigger than Wimberly and Nealy.

“We’ve had struggles with short yardage,” Rhoads said. “We don’t have a back of his physical stature that’s an upperclassman.”

Iowa State had a big back for short yardage situations in recent years with Jeff Woody, but he finished his career last season. Rhoads hopes Syria can become that type of contributor.

“The more reps he gets at this level of competition, I think the better he’ll show up,” Rhoads said. “There may be certain things that we can scheme up for him that we don’t for the other guys to help us.”

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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