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C Grasu is the anchor of Oregon’s offense

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Oregon senior center Hroniss Grasu never would have played football if his parents had their way.

Steve and Mariana Grasu, immigrants from Romania, preferred soccer over American football, which they saw as too dangerous.

It was only reluctantly that Grasu was allowed to kick for his high school team, and when a coach put him on the offensive line, well, he didn’t exactly mention it to his folks.

It was a long, silent ride home when the Grasus attended their son’s first game.

“They enjoy it now,” he said, laughing. “They come to every single game, home and away. I think I’ve got the family hooked on football.”

Lucky for Oregon the Grasus allowed their son to keep playing. Now a senior, Grasu is unquestionably the No. 3 Ducks’ anchor, according to quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Grasu, who is 6-foot-3 and just shy of 300 pounds, is considered one of the best players at his position in the nation, and he’s on the preseason watch lists for the Outland and Rimington trophies.

He leads a strong group of linemen that helped Oregon lead the Pac-12 in rushing, scoring and total offense last season. The line was to return all five starters, but Tyler Johnstone injured his right knee during fall camp and is out for the season.

“We’ve got so many guys on this team who are on the same page as me, guys that have a lot of experience and a lot of playing time. But we have so much work to get done,” Grasu said. “We’ve always got to get a new standard, reach a new standard, and then set another one.”

Grasu grew up in the Los Angeles area, where his parents own a chain of pizza parlors. His older brother, Nico, was a kicker at Washington State.

He became Oregon’s starting center as a redshirt freshman after beating out Karrington Armstrong for the job. At the time, then-coach Chip Kelly said the best compliment he could give Grasu was that he never had to think about him.

But Grasu is just as important to the Ducks for his role off the field. Players often mention that he is everyone’s go-to teammate for advice. For the past two seasons the team has honored him with the Todd Doxey Award for the player that best represents the “spirituality, dedication and brotherhood associated with being an outstanding teammate.” The award is named after the Oregon defensive back who drowned in an accident shortly before the 2008 season.

Considered a solid NFL prospect at center, Grasu instead opted to return to the Ducks for his senior year. Mariota and cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu also decided to stick around for another season.

“It’s not ‘unfinished business.’ It’s about coming back for this team, coming back for this community, for this coaching staff. It’s about becoming better football players. It’s about becoming a better team. That’s what it’s all about,” he said. “Obviously our goal is to win a national championship. It’s no secret at all. If we prepare like we should prepare, if we practice like we should practice, the sky’s the limit for this team.”

Oregon went 11-2 last season, finishing with a 30-7 victory over Texas in the Alamo Bowl. Oregon’s two late-season losses, to Stanford and Arizona, cost the Ducks a shot at the national championship and the Pac-12 title.

Mariota joked that Grasu is particularly protective of him, especially since a knee injury hampered the Ducks’ star quarterback last season.

“Hroniss always gives me a hard time about swinging a golf club — he doesn’t want me to hurt my back,” Mariota said.

Said Grasu: “I joke around with him, like if we’re crossing the street, I’ll kind of hold his hand a little bit.”

Mariota averaged nearly 282 yards passing per game and threw for 31 touchdowns with only four interceptions last season. While protecting him is obviously key to Oregon’s success, Grasu said Oregon may have relied on him a bit too much. That’s why Grasu’s goal this year is to put more of an emphasis on the team effort.

“Every touchdown that happens with this offense is a highlight to me, because obviously the offensive line had something to do with it,” he said. “When I see Marcus score, when I see (WR) Keanon Lowe score, when I see (RB) Byron Marshall score, that’s like the offensive line is also scoring the touchdown. It’s all for the team, it’s what we do as a team together.”

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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