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Pac-12 is packed with QB talent, title contenders

By WTOP Staff

GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is honored to be considered a strong candidate for the Heisman Trophy, and he would love to lead the Ducks to a national championship this fall.

As a Pac-12 quarterback, Mariota realizes his immediate goals must be a bit smaller.

“We’re just trying to win the North first,” Mariota said, referring to the Ducks’ division in the powerful conference.

Indeed, the Pac-12 is packed yet again with elite quarterback talent, up-and-coming coaches and inventive offensive schemes. The West Coast’s power conference was ranked as the nation’s best top-to-bottom league last year, and it’s even more stacked this fall.

“The Pac-12 is better than it’s ever been,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said. “And it’s not going backwards. It’s forcing all of us to keep making sure that we’re pressing the envelope to keep our program up.”

Whether it’s perennial power Oregon, two-time champion Stanford, up-and-coming power UCLA or a surprising contender, the Pac-12 is primed to crown a powerful champion. Mariota and UCLA’s Brett Hundley lead a group of returning veteran quarterbacks that might be the most impressive in this conference’s stellar history at the position.

The Pac-12 might even have a chance to break the South’s grip on the national title in the new playoff system, but that’s all a postscript to what’s certain to be a compelling run to the league title game at Levi’s Stadium in December.

Here are 10 things to watch while the Pac-12 prepares for another season:

QB CENTRAL: The Pac-12 has a whopping 10 returning quarterbacks, and at least seven are among the nation’s best at the position, all short-listed for awards and targeted for NFL shots: Washington State’s Connor Halliday, Stanford’s Kevin Hogan, Arizona State’s Taylor Kelly, USC’s Cody Kessler and Oregon State’s Sean Mannion along with Hundley and Mariota, who both delayed their NFL dreams to lead their schools’ pursuit of a national title.

BRUISING BRUINS: During coach Jim Mora’s first two seasons, UCLA seized Los Angeles supremacy from USC. While the Trojans rebuild, the Bruins are loaded for a run at the league title as the Pac-12 South’s preseason favorites. Hundley’s steady veteran leadership is the biggest reason, but Mora has a wealth of young talent led by Myles Jack, who starred as a linebacker and a tailback as a freshman.

PETERSEN ARRIVES: When Steve Sarkisian returned home to Southern California, Washington pried coach Chris Petersen out of his comfortable job at powerhouse Boise State. The Huskies are eager to see whether Petersen’s system will succeed at the sport’s highest level.

DUCK SPOTLIGHT: After nearly three decades in Eugene, Don Pellum has the unenviable task of succeeding retired Nick Aliotti as Oregon’s defensive coordinator. The Ducks’ former linebackers coach isn’t overhauling Aliotti’s schemes, but his biggest task might be slowing down Stanford after two straight losses to the powerful Cardinal.

LEACH’S BREAKTHROUGH?: In the past year, Mike Leach co-authored a book on Apache leader Geronimo, caught a 350-pound sturgeon in the Snake River and got Washington State into its first bowl game in a decade. The veteran coach is showing progress in Pullman, but he knows the next step is tougher as the Cougars attempt to join the Pac-12’s elite.

STALWART STANFORD: Coach David Shaw isn’t insulted by the preseason projections showing his Cardinal behind Oregon in the Pac-12 North race. After four straight BCS bowl games and two straight league titles, Shaw is confident Stanford’s system will produce another power — particularly with Hogan back for another year behind center.

BIG GAMES: A few dates for the calendar: USC visits Stanford on Sept. 6; Oregon travels to UCLA on Oct. 11; Utah faces Oregon State on Oct. 16 in a rematch of their 2013 thriller; Stanford visits Oregon on Nov. 1; and Stanford plays at UCLA on Nov. 28, one day before USC hosts Notre Dame in a huge Thanksgiving weekend in Los Angeles.

LEVI’S FIT: The Pac-12 will play its title game at the San Francisco 49ers’ new stadium after holding it on the higher-seeded team’s campus in previous years. Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott calls it a move for the fans, even if last-minute travel to the Bay Area doesn’t sound terribly fan-friendly.

NETWORK WOES: The Pac-12 Networks are in their third year, and they still don’t have a distribution deal with DirecTV, Verizon FiOS, Charter Communications or Cablevision, leaving millions of fans unable to watch every game. Scott again preaches patience, claiming the network is steadily moving toward success.

COMEBACK KIDS: California and Colorado finished at the bottom of their respective divisions last season, and they’re picked to finish last again in the preseason media poll. The two former powerhouses still have a reserve of optimism heading into the second seasons for coaches Sonny Dykes and Mike MacIntyre, but it’s tough to rebuild quickly in the Pac-12.

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Predicted order of finish:

NORTH — 1. Oregon; 2. Stanford; 3. Washington; 4. Oregon State; 5. Washington State; 6. California

SOUTH — 1. UCLA; 2. USC; 3. Arizona State; 4. Arizona; 5. Utah; 6. Colorado

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Title game winner: Oregon

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Online:

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

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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