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Nebraska RB Abdullah eager to win a championship

By WTOP Staff

ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Ameer Abdullah is in position to become the first Nebraska player to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Not that it’s a primary goal for him.

“Probably like 49th on my list,” Abdullah said Monday. “Win is like 1 through 38. And then you’ve got championship 39 through 47.”

Abdullah forgot to mention No. 48. Undoubtedly it would have been something team oriented.

His 1,690 yards last season were the most by a Nebraska player since Ahman Green went for 1,877 in 1997, and he strongly considered entering the NFL draft as an underclassman.

But he came back for one more season — not to set records but to win, and win big. The Huskers have reached the Big Ten championship game once in his three years, and that turned out to be an ugly loss to Wisconsin in 2012.

Abdullah said he’s willing to do anything to help the Huskers make it back to Indianapolis in December, even if it means playing on the punt-block unit.

“I consider myself one of the better players on this team, so I want the best players out there the whole time,” he said. “Just because you play offense and play a pivotal role doesn’t mean you can’t contribute on special teams. You want the best 11 out there in every phase.”

Coach Bo Pelini said Abdullah has auditioned for a number of roles on special teams, and nothing has been ruled out.

Pelini, whose 22nd-ranked Huskers open against Florida Atlantic on Saturday, said the 5-foot-9, 195-pound Abdullah’s drive to win has been palpable since the spring.

“He’s stronger, he’s a little bigger, just probably more explosive than he was,” Pelini said. “We haven’t overused him in camp. I think he’s in a great mental state, and I think we need to play well around him to enable him to do what he does.”

Abdullah’s 281 rushing attempts last season were second most in the Big Ten to Jeremy Langford’s 292 for Michigan State and second most by a Nebraska player since 1994. Rex Burkhead had 284 carries in 2011.

“I know I might have a heavy workload this year,” Abdullah said. “The only way to lighten the load is to take it the distance every time.”

Abdullah said he’s tweaked his training regimen to condition himself for breakaway runs. He had 17 runs of 20 yards or longer last season, and he wants more this year.

When he gets tagged in practice, he’ll often continue running, he said, “to get in that mindset of taking it the distance every time.”

Green, the No. 2 career rusher at Nebraska and all-time leader for the Green Bay Packers, was the kind of breakaway threat Abdullah wants to be. The two met for the first time at the spring game, and Green keeps in touch to share observations about Abdullah’s game and about the intricacies of playing running back.

If Abdullah rushes for 1,000 yards, he’ll pass Green on the school’s career chart. Abdullah would need 1,804 yards to break Mike Rozier’s record of 4,780.

While Abdullah makes it a point to downplay his statistics, he said it’s an honor to have his name alongside some of the other great backs who have come through Lincoln.

“You walk through the hallways every day. We see Mike Rozier, Johnny Rodgers, even though he played more receiver, and we see the Ahman Greens,” Abdullah said. “We understand the legacy here is really strong at the running back position. You want to hold yourself to that level.”

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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