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Star power lacking at SEC Media Days

By WTOP Staff

DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel insists there are still plenty of superstars in the Southeastern Conference.

The only problem is nobody’s heard of them yet.

One year after high-profile players such as Alabama’s A.J. McCarron, South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney and Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel brought a rockstar feel to SEC Media Days, the buzz is largely missing this week at the league’s preseason showcase.

Part of the reason is a lack of experienced quarterbacks. McCarron, Manziel, LSU’s Zach Mettenberger, South Carolina’s Connor Shaw and Georgia’s Aaron Murray are gone after impressive careers.

There are still some accomplished players in the league — especially at running back. Alabama’s T.J. Yeldon and Georgia’s Todd Gurley are among the nation’s best.

Driskel said it won’t be long before others become nationally known as well.

“Some of the guys haven’t put up the numbers or the championships that guys in the past have,” Driskell said. “But there’s always going to be talent in the SEC. It’s just a matter of who makes the plays this year. You get guys who end up being household names who weren’t at the beginning of the year.”

But the shadow of Manziel, McCarron and Co. still looms, even months after they played their last college game.

When Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin took the podium on Tuesday afternoon, two of the first three questions he received were about Johnny Football.

After the second one, an amused Sumlin said “Is this the SEC Media Days?”

The Aggies are one of several teams moving on without their stars. They had three players selected in the first round of the NFL draft — which left gaping holes at quarterback, offensive tackle and receiver — but Sumlin said that’s just part of the challenge of the college game.

“In college football, every two, three years you’re going to have turnover and you have to have a plan for that,” Sumlin said. “Whether it’s quarterback, whether it’s a great defender, whatever it is. To me that’s what’s exciting about college football.”

That might be true eventually, but right now it means there are a lot of unknowns.

Arguably the league’s most recognizable quarterback — Auburn’s Nick Marshall — didn’t come to media days after being cited for possession of a small amount of marijuana. Mississippi’s Bo Wallace is the only returning quarterback in the league who threw for at least 2,000 yards last season.

Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott and Driskel are among the most intriguing breakout candidates at quarterback.

Prescott threw for 1,940 yards last season and rushed for 829 more as a sophomore despite missing two games because of injuries. Driskel had a promising season in 2012 before missing much of last year with a leg injury.

Prescott said the SEC’s loss of so many star players won’t hurt the quality of the league.

“Those guys were unknown at some point, too, so that’s just part of the game,” Prescott said. “It leaves the door open for guys to step up and get their name out there.”

The strength of the league might be at running back, where veterans like Yeldon, Gurley and South Carolina’s Mike Davis return for another season. All three averaged around 100 yards per game during their sophomore seasons and scored at least 10 touchdowns.

But there’s a good chance some of the league’s best players — along with the league’s best teams — are relative unknowns right now.

“Nobody picked Missouri and Auburn to win the divisions last year,” South Carolina Steve Spurrier said. “That’s why we play the game. We don’t know who’s going to win ’em.”

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Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP

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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