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Ekpre-Olomu looks to define No. 2 Ducks’ defense

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Ifo Ekpre-Olomu’s acrobatic interception against Michigan State perfectly illustrated his reason for staying at Oregon. The senior cornerback has more to prove with the Ducks.

“I think there’s a lot that I can do this season. I think I can be an impact player,” he said. “But at the same time, I’m just worried about the process and getting better. I want to be the best player I can be when I leave here. And I want to be the best player I can be every Saturday.”

The Ducks are no doubt happy the two-time all-Pac-12 corner and pro prospect stayed.

Oregon defeated the then-No. 7 Spartans 46-27 last Saturday, pushing the Ducks up a spot in the AP Top 25 to No 2. With the decisive victory over a top-10 team, Oregon became an early favorite for a spot in college football’s first playoff this season.

The team hosts Wyoming this Saturday before opening up the conference season at Washington State next weekend.

The highlight reel from the victory over Michigan State will certainly include Ekpre-Olomu’s fourth-quarter interception of Connor Cook.

Cook was aiming for AJ Troup on a deep route, but defensive back Reggie Daniels tipped the ball. Already on the run, Ekpre-Olomu sprinted a few more steps before making the lunging catch and crashing to the turf.

“For some reason I knew that the ball was going to be tipped,” he said. “All of a sudden the ball was just there so I just dove.”

It was his eighth career interception, putting him four away from breaking into the top 10 of Oregon’s all-time list.

Ekpre-Olomu’s interception was a high point for the Ducks’ defense, which had struggled for the first half as Michigan State built a 24-18 lead.

Oregon’s secondary allowed Cook 343 yards passing and two touchdowns. But the Ducks’ D grew stronger as the game progressed and held the Spartans scoreless in the second half. That’s when the offense took over with four unanswered touchdowns for the win.

“Credit to (defensive coordinator) Don Pellum and our defensive staff for rallying those guys in the second half. Those guys were really good and we knew that Connor Cook made them more balanced and versatile as far as their attack. But I’m just proud of the total team effort,” coach Mark Helfrich said.

Along with his work at cornerback, Ekpre-Olomu also is Oregon’s punt returner. The job came open in the spring when Bralon Addison injured ligaments in his knee.

Against the Spartans, Ekpre-Olomu returned three punts for 40 yards, with a long of 30, despite nursing an ankle injury that has been lingering since fall camp.

“We’ve just got confidence, whether we are winning or losing,” he said. ” They had a lot of momentum going into halftime and we just had to come together as a team. We had the momentum and we were able to just keep putting it on.”

Ekpre-Olomu was the Ducks’ second-leading tackler with 84 last season. He also had three interceptions.

After Oregon capped its season with a victory over Texas in the Alamo Bowl, there was speculation that Ekpre-Olomu might bolt for the NFL draft, joining running back De’Anthony Thomas in leaving Oregon with eligibility remaining.

But like quarterback Marcus Mariota and center Hroniss Grasu, Ekpre-Olomu felt he had one more shot to do something special with the Ducks.

“I definitely wanted to do more while I’m still in college,” he said. “Yes, the NFL is something that I want to do, but, I mean, this is a one-time opportunity. I wanted to finish what I started when I got here.”

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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