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Munchie Legaux back as Cincinnati quarterback

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Munchie Legaux is going to get a chance to run Cincinnati’s offense, something he thought was a longshot to do a few months ago.

The quarterback feared his career was over when he suffered a gruesome injury to his left knee during the second game last season. He recovered enough to win a backup spot behind Gunner Kiel heading into this season.

With Kiel sidelined by severely bruised ribs, Legaux is competing for a chance to start on Saturday when Cincinnati (2-2) plays at Miami (3-3). Legaux finished the second half of a 41-14 loss to Memphis last Saturday after Kiel got hurt.

During practice this week, Legaux and junior college transfer Jarred Evans will compete for playing time in the game.

“Gunner, I don’t see him playing this week,” coach Tommy Tuberville said. “He is not much better than he was.”

Kiel wasn’t in full uniform for the Bearcats’ practice on Tuesday. He went through the walkthrough portion, and then went back to the trainer’s room for treatment.

“So we’re going to go on with Munchie (Legaux) and Jarred Evans and put our plan together with those two and if Gunner plays, it will be a limited role anyways,” Tuberville said.

Not too long ago, Legaux thought he’d never get this chance.

He was Cincinnati’s starter last season until the second game. He got hit on the left knee as he threw a pass at Illinois, tearing ligaments and cartilage to such an extent that doctors initially thought his career was finished.

The NCAA granted his request for another season to let him try to make a comeback. The knee was strong enough to let him compete for a backup job during fall camp. He wound up as the No. 2 quarterback behind Kiel, who is in his first season after transferring from Notre Dame.

Legaux was hoping just to get on the field at some point.

“I kind of kept it in my head that I’ll get a chance to play,” Legaux said, during an interview on Tuesday. “At some point I’ll play, whether we’re up by a lot of points or down by a lot of points or if I go out and start. At some point, I’ll be able to go out and play.

“So I’ve been preparing myself for this moment. It means a lot. For all the hard work and dedication I’ve put into it, to be able to overcome the injury and go out and help my team means a lot.”

Tuberville let Legaux run the final series in the first half of a season-opening 58-34 win over Toledo, easing him back in. Legaux was 4 of 5 for 18 yards as Cincinnati essentially ran out the clock before halftime.

Kiel was hit in the right side as he threw a desperation pass on the final play of the first half on Saturday night. X-rays found no fracture, but he’s got severely bruised ribs that limit his movement and his throwing motion.

The Bearcats trailed 27-7 when Legaux took over at the start of the second half. With Cincinnati’s running game at a standstill, Memphis was able to put a lot of pressure on Legaux, who was 5 of 13 for 39 yards.

“It was pretty tough being that we were down a lot of points,” Legaux said. “The end result wasn’t what we expected, but we’ve got to continue to move forward. We had a couple of drives, more than in the Toledo game. It was good to be out there, to get comfortable. That’s the main thing.

“It’s a big adjustment. Right now, I’m used to practicing. I’m not used to game speed. That’s the big thing: I have to get adjusted to the speed and tempo of everything.”

Notes: Tuberville said injured linebacker Leviticus Payne will miss the Miami game. … The Bearcats have so many injuries at running back that Mike Boone and E.J. Junior IV will have to play instead of taking redshirt seasons as planned. Tion Green is out for the season with a shoulder injury and Hosey Williams is out for least a month with a knee injury.

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Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

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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