Skip to main content

Vanderbilt coach trying to refocus for second half

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason is hitting the reset button for his Commodores halfway through the season.

The Commodores are 1-5 and have lost three straight. Quarterback Patton Robinette still is recovering from a concussion suffered Sept. 20, keeping the Commodores on a signal-caller carousel that resulted in the wrong play being called in the 44-17 loss at Georgia. Nobody corrected Stephen Rivers before the snap, and his pass was picked off and returned for a touchdown.

Mason called that miscommunication a “one-time, goofy thing” Tuesday.

“It’s done. I mean it happened. We have to move forward. I’ve talked about that thing enough,” Mason said. “You start talking about those things too much and all you do is raise ghosts. Right now I mean we just have to continue to move forward, with the understanding of man the structure’s in place. Let’s go have fun.”

Vanderbilt hosts Charleston Southern (5-0) of the Football Championship Subdivision on Saturday night for homecoming after three tough games in the Southeastern Conference. The Commodores then will have an open date and a chance to regroup for the stretch run.

That’s why Mason is pitching this chance to start fresh.

“It’s a new season,” the coach said. “Our mindset’s in the process of a new season. The only thing you can do is look at the first half of the season, look at your mistakes and understand there’s a lot of good football to be played. You break it in half right now 1-5 trying to get to 1-0. That’s where we’re going to go.”

Vanderbilt is 16-1 all-time against FCS programs, usually meaning this would be a game the Commodores easily could expect to win.

Nothing has been easy for Vanderbilt in Mason’s first season as he plays a nation-high 31 combined freshmen and redshirt freshmen. Not being able to start the same quarterback more than consecutive games hasn’t helped either. Freshman Wade Freebeck has the most starts this season with three, and he is listed as the starter against Charleston Southern.

That will change once Robinette is cleared to return. He now has missed two full games since suffering a concussion, but Mason made it clear Robinette is his quarterback once doctors allow him to play again. Mason said Robinette brings leadership and a confidence the Commodores need.

Without Robinette, Freebeck started his second straight game, but Mason pulled him to give the freshman quarterback a chance to watch the game. Vanderbilt trailed 27-10 in the third quarter and had fourth-and-2 at the Georgia 29 when Rivers misheard the play call and threw a pass picked off for a touchdown. Freebeck went back in.

Vanderbilt currently is 120th in total offense averaging 266.3 yards per game and averaging only 17 points a game, 116th in the country.

“It’s made us somewhat of a roller coaster just in terms of what we’re doing, and what we’re dealing with …,” Mason said. “We have to continue to know that we’re on the right track. Hopefully pretty soon we get Patton back and that alleviates the roller coaster. There’s still going to be a time and place for Wade to get some time as a young guy.”

___

Online:

AP college football website: http://collegefootball.ap.org/

___

Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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

Israel and Hezbollah clash along a strategic Lebanese river after overnight strikes

Iran condemns US strikes as a show of ‘bad faith’ and begins restoring internet after long shutdown

Blanche at center of Republican firestorm over $1.8B fund as he seeks to prove his loyalty to Trump