Skip to main content

Rutgers secondary could have another new starter

By WTOP Staff

MATT SUGAM
Associated Press

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — An injury and a targeting penalty might give Rutgers redshirt freshman safety Andre Hunt his first start.

Hunt will get a lot of work in practice this week as the Scarlet Knights (4-1, 0-1) prepare for their Big Ten Conference game against reeling Michigan (2-3, 0-1) on Saturday at High Point Solutions Stadium.

The Eagan, Minnesota resident was pushed into the spotlight in the third quarter of Rutgers’ win over Tulane when backup safety Johnathan Aiken was flagged for a targeting penalty and disqualified. It meant that he missed the rest of the game and will miss the first half of this week’s game.

With starter Delon Stephenson battling a lower body injury, Hunt, a walk-on, could get the start.

“Now that I got my feet wet with playing college football I feel like I will be ready if I have a huge role,” Hunt said. “It’s just being prepared. That’s all it is.”

Hunt knows this would be a giant step for him, playing Michigan, under the lights, on the Big Ten Network.

At the beginning of this year, I didn’t really expect to play a lot,” Hunt said. “Being a walk-on I thought I was going to be on the scout team again and help the offense get a look.”

Hunt played special teams in the season opener, got some work in week 2 against Howard and eventually made his mark in the fourth game two weeks ago against Navy. On the Mids’ final drive, Hunt came off the end on a blitz and sacked Keenan Reynolds for a 10-yard loss on a second and goal from the 6-yard line to help seal the victory.

“There’s people who welcome pressure and there’s people who let pressure crush them and I think Andre’s the type of kid who welcomes pressure,” defensive tackle Darius Hamilton said. “He’s done everything he can to put himself in position to be successful and I think he’s going to be ready Saturday no matter what.”

Throughout high school at Crein-Derham Hall and at his one year of prep school at Hargrave Military Academy, Hunt was a running back. At Rutgers, he moved to wide receiver and then safety, playing defense for the first time since his Pop Warner days.

Most of his work early in the season was on the scout team. Rather than preparing quarterback Gary Nova for the Wolverines defense, he’s preparing himself to face Michigan quarterbacks Devin Gardner and Shane Morris.

Fellow safety Lorenzo Waters said Hunt is poised.

“He doesn’t get caught up in the stage and all the glamour that’s going on,” Waters said. “He’s just trying to go out there and do his job and that’s why I feel comfortable with him out there. He’s always focused. He’s an intense player and he’ll stay on his task.”

Hunt’s father, Leon, played running back at Wisconsin from 1986-1990.

“I’ve dreamed about playing against Michigan because I always wanted to play in the Big Ten,” he said. “It’s going to be a dream come true just to be on the field against them. They’re a great team.”

It’s one Hunt never thought would come this soon. But now that it has, he plans to capitalize on it.

“I’m very shocked, but I’m also very excited that it’s come this fast,” Hunt said. “I’ve just been waiting for this opportunity to come and I’m just going to make the most of it.”

Rutgers has been used to change in the secondary this season. If Hunt starts, it would be the Scarlet Knights’ sixth lineup in the secondary in as many games. Most of the shuffling has been at cornerback.

Waters said he didn’t notice the changing lineups because they’re used to shuffling.

“We rotate, we play with each other.It’s nothing new,” he said. “It’s new to everyone else that hasn’t been at practice, but it’s nothing new for me to line up with whoever at corner, whoever at safety, we all have been side by side at some point.”

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