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Unbeaten Georgia Tech looks to end skid vs. Miami

By WTOP Staff

GEORGE HENRY
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson doesn’t think his team is too excited about its successful start.

It’s been 10 days since the Yellow Jackets (4-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) rallied for an upset win at Virginia Tech, and Johnson still sees plenty of mistakes that need correcting.

Those concerns come more into focus with Miami (3-2, 1-1) visiting this weekend. The Hurricanes have won five straight in the series by an average of 16 points.

Holding onto the football has been a big problem against the Hurricanes. Three turnovers last season at Miami and in 2011 were too much to overcome.

Two years ago, Hurricanes scored the game’s final 23 points at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The winning touchdown came after Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington was stopped short on fourth-and-inches, halting the Jackets’ first overtime possession.

“Getting ready for Miami is a huge challenge,” Johnson said on Tuesday. “The last few years they’ve really lit us up scoring points. Offensively we’ve got to do a good job of taking care of the ball to minimize turnovers and put points on the board ourselves.”

Miami, which has recovered seven forced fumbles this season, is 11-0 under coach Al Golden when getting at least three turnovers.

Led by linebackers Denzel Perryman and Thurston Armbrister, who have combined for 45 solo tackles, five sacks, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, the Hurricanes rank 13th nationally with 11 sacks and 15th against the run.

The Jackets’ spread option offense, led by first-year starting quarterback Justin Thomas, ranks fifth nationally in third-down percentage and 10th in rushing.

But statistics sometimes are overemphasized. Georgia Tech has averaged 232 yards rushing in the last five games against Miami and is 0-5.

“We’re not happy with where we are running the ball,” Johnson said. “We need to be getting another 50 or 60 yards per game on our rushing attack. And as we get better with that you will see a lot of big plays in the passing game.”

Thomas, who’s a big reason why the Jackets are unbeaten, struggles occasionally with ball security and needs to get some receivers other than DeAndre Smelter involved in the passing attack.

Defensively, Georgia Tech could catch a break as star Miami running back Duke Johnson is nursing a sore right ankle from last week’s home win over Duke.

It’s the same ankle Johnson broke to end his season last year against Florida State, but linebacker Quayshawn Nealy says the Jackets believe he’ll be 100 percent.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” Nealy said. “They’re trying to do everything possible to get him back together. I’m pretty sure he’s going to be game ready and get all the treatment he needs. That ankle’s not going to bother him. He’s still going to be Duke Johnson.”

Nealy said the same goes for Miami’s starting right tackle. The Hurricanes are juggling personnel this week after losing their top two right tackles to injury last week.

“They’ll play the best players, so I’m pretty sure they’ll be well coached and ready to go,” Nealy said. “We will be, too.”

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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