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Terrapins will try to slow down USF’s Marlon Mack

By WTOP Staff

FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Maryland’s defense welcomes the challenge of trying to slow down the nation’s leading rusher.

South Florida’s Marlon Mack burst onto the scene a week away, running for 275 yards and four touchdowns in his college debut. The true freshman may not have claimed USF’s starting tailback job, however he certainly grabbed the attention of this week’s opponent.

Maryland coach Randy Edsall describes the 6-foot, 195-pound Mack as “shifty, quick and fast.” Containing him figures to one of the keys to Saturday’s game between the Terrapins (1-0) and Bulls (1-0).

“He broke two 60-yard runs last week. He has good vision, good patience getting to the hole and then good vision to see things,” Edsall said. “We’ll have to tackle well, get to the gaps, run to the ball, and when we run to the ball, we’re going to have to take good angles.”

Mack averaged nearly 12 yards per carry and matched USF’s single-game rushing record while scoring on runs of 62, 60, 56 and 3 yards in a 36-31 victory over Western Carolina.

The Bulls went 2-10 a year ago in their first season under coach Willie Taggart. And even though Western Carolina is a Football Championship Subdivision program, rallying from an early 14-3 deficit represented progress for a team with a track record of wilting when it encounters adversity.

“He gave us confidence and belief,” Taggart said. “He not only helped the offense, he helped the entire football team the way he ran the ball.”

And to think, the only reason Mack started the opener was because another young running back, sophomore Darius Tice, tweaked his knee in practice.

The Bulls depth chart still list Tice as the starter, and Taggart stressed he has no intentions of abandoning a plan to spread the rushing load among several runners.

“We’re not going to waiver on that,” the coach said. “It’s still going to be by committee.”

Maryland is bracing for a heavy dose of the talented Mack, who wound up signing with USF after earlier giving verbal commitments to UCLA and Louisville.

“I think he is a little bit of everything. He’s a nice sized kid. … He’s got good acceleration. He’s got good short area quickness,” Terrapins defensive coordinator Brian Stewart said. “He has some power to him because he is a little bit of a thicker kid. I’m looking forward to watching him play after we play.”

___

Things to watch in the first-ever meeting between the Bulls and Terrapins:

AIR IT OUT?: Maryland’s C.J. Brown threw for just 111 yards and one touchdown in a season-opening rout of James Madison. But then again, the Terrapins rushed for 285 yards, so they didn’t need more production for the passing game. USF, meanwhile, surrendered 374 yards passing against Western Carolina, which raises the question of whether Brown will try to attack the Bulls secondary, too. Edsall hasn’t provided any clues. “I think South Florida defensively is a team that has good athletes. They have guys who can run, so we’ve looked at them and dissected them and are going to put together a game plan that we think fits what we do compared to what we see on film,” the coach said.”

WE WANT TO THROW IT BETTER, TOO: USF’s Mike White got off a shaky start and finished 9 of 26 for 181 yards, no TDs and one interception last week. If they Bulls are going to be successful moving forward, he’s needs to be much more accurate.

NEXT MAN UP: With Maryland receiver Taivon Jacobs out after suffering a season-ending injury last week, Marcus Leaks moves into the starting lineup for the Terrapins. He had two receptions for 17 yards in the opener. Two years ago, he averaged 17.1 yards per catch.

OFFENSIVELY CHALLENGED: It’s only one game, but getting four touchdowns from Mack was a really big deal for USF. The Bulls scored a Football Bowl Subdivision-low 11 offensive TDs all of last season.

NEWCOMERS: USF had the top-ranked recruiting class in the American Athletic Conference this year. The Bulls had 17 players — five of them true freshman — make their debut against Western Carolina.

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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