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Jones: Vols don’t plan changes on offensive line

By WTOP Staff

STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee coach Butch Jones says he isn’t planning on making any lineup changes to an offensive line that has given up the most sacks in the Southeastern Conference.

The Volunteers yielded six sacks Saturday as they fell 10-9 to Florida for their third consecutive loss. Tennessee has given up 18 sacks through the first five games of the year. Only seven of the nation’s 128 Football Bowl Subdivision schools are allowing more sacks per game.

“It is what it is,” Jones said. “Those are the five that we have. Those are the five we feel gives us the best opportunity on Saturdays, and we’re sticking with those five.”

Tennessee (2-3) replaced all five starters on last year’s offensive line and lost starting left tackle Jacob Gilliam to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the season opener. After going through different line combinations in each of Tennessee’s first three games, Jones said after a 34-10 loss to Oklahoma that he would stick with the five linemen who started that game.

Jones said Monday he’s sticking with that combination even after Tennessee gave up its highest sack total of the season and rushed for only 29 yards on 28 carries against Florida. That starting line includes junior left tackle Kyler Kerbyson, junior left guard Marcus Jackson, junior center Mack Crowder, freshman right guard Jashon Robertson and freshman right tackle Coleman Thomas.

Tennessee figured to have problems on the offensive line as it replaced a group from last year that included three players now on NFL active rosters: Miami’s Ja’Wuan James, Kansas City’s Zach Fulton and Atlanta’s James Stone. A fourth starting lineman from last year’s team – Antonio “Tiny” Richardson – is on injured reserve with the Minnesota Vikings.

Their departures left Tennessee with a troubling lack of depth on the line, a holdover from recruiting struggles in previous years. Tennessee’s 2012 recruiting class didn’t include a single offensive lineman.

“You look at it, that’s the most unglorified position in sport,” Jones said. “They never get complimented, they never score touchdowns. It’s like a fistfight in a phone booth on every single snap. There’s a mental toughness that goes into it. It’s a gladiator sport inside. There are so many things that you have to possess to play in the offensive line. You have to be athletic enough now, particularly in this conference, to block 6-foot-4, 6-foot-5 defensive ends that run 4.5 40s. So, those are developmental positions. Are there some players playing before their time? Maybe, but I think they’re doing a fairly decent job. We have to continue to get better. They’re all that we have.”

Tennessee’s offensive line won’t necessarily get a breather Saturday against Football Championship Subdivision program Chattanooga (3-2). The Mocs’ defensive line features Davis Tull, a Knoxville native and two-time Southern Conference defensive player of the year who has 31 ½ career sacks.

NOTES: Jones said he had dialogue with the SEC office about Florida’s game-winning field goal against Tennessee. Replays showed the play clock appeared to reach zero just before the ball was snapped. Jones said he hadn’t heard back from the SEC on the matter. … Jones said he expected freshman running back Jalen Hurd to participate in Monday’s practice, which was closed to the media. A shoulder injury limited Hurd in the second half of the Florida game. … Tennessee officials sent students an email criticizing them for directing profane chants at Florida during last week’s game. The letter, signed by chancellor Jimmy Cheek, athletic director Dave Hart and vice chancellor for student life Vince Carilli, said the chants were “totally unacceptable” and that “as Volunteers, we are better than that and our expectation is that this kind of behavior will never happen again.”

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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