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No. 14 Stanford trying to jolt stagnant offense

By WTOP Staff

ANTONIO GONZALEZ
AP Sports Writer

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — The offense has struggled enough through the first four games this season that even Stanford’s stoic coach vented in public.

Three days later, David Shaw is sticking to the critical assessment he gave after the Cardinal’s 20-13 win at Washington. He said the offense is not playing up to its potential and the team can’t keep relying on the nation’s best defense to bail it out.

“The frustrating part is that there’s not one thing,” Shaw said Tuesday. “It would be great if there was one thing that we have to change.”

Shaw’s sluggish offense will need to fix its problems fast. No. 14 Stanford (3-1) has a date at ninth-ranked Notre Dame (4-0) on Saturday, the team’s final non-conference game.

Stanford has the nation’s top scoring defense (6.5 points) and is allowing a Football Bowl Subdivision-low 198 yards per game. But the Cardinal’s offense hasn’t been able to keep up, ranking 77th in scoring (27.5 points) and 68th in total offense (413.3 yards) per game.

Stanford also has nine turnovers, is averaging nearly six penalties per game and senior kicker Jordan Williamson is just 4 for 8 on field goals.

“Turnovers and penalties and missed field goals have crushed us in the red zone,” Shaw said. “It’s being confident. It’s being efficient. It’s being productive. It’s always advancing, never retreating.”

Unfortunately for the coach and the Cardinal, it has been too much of the latter lately.

Stanford has won three of four games despite its offense, though a 13-10 home loss to Southern California in which the defense dominated still stings. The Cardinal nearly repeated that disaster last Saturday.

Six times Stanford drove inside the Washington 30, but a missed field goal by Williamson and a fumble by quarterback Kevin Hogan kept the game close. The Cardinal committed three turnovers, including Remound Wright’s fumble late in the second quarter that Shaq Thompson returned 32 yards for a touchdown to pull the Huskies (4-1) even at 13.

“I think it’s just honing in on the details and the little things,” Hogan said. “We’re putting together good drives — good, long drives — and it’s just one or two plays once we get further down. So it’s just keeping those long drives going and not relaxing and not allowing those mistakes to happen.”

Shaw said the mistakes are correctable and he will not change the offense’s schemes in the red zone because they have been remarkably efficient with Hogan and Andrew Luck at quarterback previously. Instead, he said he expects his players to complete the plays like they do in practice.

Shaw also will continue to use a rotation of running backs — Wright, Kelsey Young, Barry Sanders and Ricky Seale — that has come under scrutiny because, like the offense, it has produced mixed results. Stanford is averaging 165.5 yards rushing after running for 207.4 yards per game last season behind featured tailback Tyler Gaffney.

Part of that is also due to a talented but young offensive line, which has four new starters this season. The unit has improved, Shaw said, but needs to get better.

The challenge this week will be as daunting as any Stanford’s offense faces all season.

The Fighting Irish play a similar, physical front as Stanford’s defense, and the teams have matched up well against each other recently. The Cardinal beat Notre Dame 27-20 last season at Stanford. In 2012, the Irish stuffed Stepfan Taylor inches from the end zone before a controversial whistle blew the play dead on fourth down, sealing a 20-13 overtime victory against the Cardinal in South Bend.

Shaw compared Notre Dame’s defense to the aggressive styles New York Jets coach Rex Ryan and San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio employ because “everybody is a viable blitzer.” He said the communication between Hogan and the offensive line will need to be at its best.

NOTES: Shaw said neither he nor any of his representatives have been contacted by anyone from the Oakland Raiders about their coaching vacancy. Shaw, an assistant for the Raiders from 1998-2001, reiterated that he has no desire to head to the NFL right now. “I love it here. I think everybody knows I’m dedicated here (at Stanford),” Shaw said. … Backup S Kodi Whitfield will likely sit out at Notre Dame with an undisclosed injury, Shaw said.

___

Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP

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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