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Oregon WR Allen says football comes before track

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — In a span of just more than 13 seconds, redshirt freshman Devon Allen cemented his status as a player to watch when the Oregon Ducks open the season this fall.

The nimble wide receiver won the 110-meter hurdles title this weekend in the NCAA track and field championships at Hayward Field, surprising even his track coach.

Allen leaned in to finish two-hundredths of a second in front of USC senior Aleec Harris, then thrust his hands into the air in victory.

“I tried to show no emotion, but I had to,” he said. “I was just really excited to win and to score some points for my team.”

His time of 13.16 seconds set a record for the NCAA championships, besting Olympic gold medalist Aries Merritt’s mark of 13.21 set in 2006 for Tennessee. Allen is the first freshman to win the national title in the event since San Jose State’s Dedy Cooper in 1976.

Allen also has the fastest collegiate time since Renaldo Nehemiah set the NCAA record of 13.0 in 1979 while running for Maryland.

On top of that, Allen’s victory in the event propelled the Ducks to the team’s first national championship since 1984. Top-ranked Oregon finished with 88 points, 18 ahead of runner-up Florida.

While Allen reveled in the Ducks’ team victory, he already was looking forward to football season.

“I had a good day today,” Allen said after his run. “But it’s still football first for now.”

Allen first grabbed attention during the Ducks’ annual spring game in early May, catching a pair of touchdowns and earning MVP honors.

Oregon needs him. Josh Huff, who set an Oregon record with 1,140 yards receiving last season, has graduated along with fellow receiver Daryle Hawkins, and De’Anthony Thomas, who played at receiver and running back, left school a year early to go pro.

Allen joins a receiving corps that includes senior Keanon Lowe and junior Bralon Addison, who was injured in the spring, as well as sophomores Dwayne Stanford and Chance Allen. Basketball player Jonathan Lloyd, who had an additional year of eligibility outside of hoops, also plans to play at receiver next season.

None of the returning receivers caught more than 20 passes last season.

Allen, who redshirted last year, never thought he’d be vying for a track title. But as the season went on his confidence grew.

“It’s just a lot of training,” he said. “I was doing so much at the beginning of the year that I think my body was kind of tired. I had to lose about 20 pounds from football season to be able to run efficiently and as the year started going I was feeling better and getting faster.”

Track coach Robert Johnson was as shocked at Allen’s win as everyone watching. All the Ducks needed at that point to win the team title was a point — which Allen would earn just by finishing.

“I say to myself as soon as the gun goes off, ‘Just get through the hurdles. That one point will be our 24th point and I don’t care what they do after that,'” Johnson said. “Then he passes me, I’m sitting at hurdle six, and he’s probably in third. Then I look at the monitor and he’s in second, and then he runs off that last hurdle better than most.”

Johnson said that Ducks football coach Mark Helfrich helped Allen realize his goals on the track, excusing him from some of his other obligations.

Many of Allen’s football teammates went to Twitter to note the feat.

“Wow!!Congrats to Devon Allen for winning nationals in the 110 hurdles you are amazing! Honored to be your friend and teammate @DevonAllen13,” posted offensive lineman Doug Brenner.

Oregon finished 11-2 last season, capped by a 30-7 victory over Texas in the Alamo Bowl. They were ranked. No. 9 in the final AP Top 25.

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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