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South Carolina’s Thompson seeking more success

By WTOP Staff

PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Dylan Thompson understands he must learn to temper his emotions, even in the midst of one of his biggest successes as South Carolina quarterback.

Thompson was admonished by South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier for his part in a way-too-early sideline celebration in the fourth quarter with the Gamecocks up 38-28 on top-10 Georgia last week. Despite a late charge by the Bulldogs, No. 14 South Carolina held on for a three-point win and brought Thompson a signature victory since becoming the team’s starter this year.

“Yeah, I was excited,” said Thompson, a senior. “I’ve never been too quiet about letting myself get excited out there. I enjoy playing football.”

Thompson expects to keep calmer when the Gamecocks (2-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) head to Vanderbilt (1-2, 0-1) on Saturday night.

He’s in no danger of getting on Spurrier’s bad side, though, the Head Ball Coach saying this week he’d remain starter even if he threw five straight interceptions.

“I didn’t know he said that,” Thompson said, grinning. “If y’all see that happen, I guess we’ll see if it’s true or not.”

Thompson spent the past three seasons behind Connor Shaw, who Spurrier regularly touted as the greatest quarterback in South Carolina history.

Thompson, though, has played big off the bench. As a sophomore in 2012, Thompson threw for 330 yards and three TDs in a 48-10 win over East Carolina with Shaw banged up.

He saved his most exhilarating play for that year. He passed for three touchdowns to lift the Gamecocks to 27-17 win over rival Clemson at Death Valley for an injured Shaw. Five weeks later, it was Thompson who threw the game-winning TD pass to Bruce Ellington against Michigan at the Outback Bowl — a game best remembered for Jadeveon Clowney’s helmet-popping hit.

Thompson, with Shaw’s big shoes to fill, didn’t get off to the smoothest of starts this season in a 52-28 loss to No. 6 Texas A&M. While he passed for 366 yards and four touchdowns, Thompson was sacked three times and threw an interception in the Aggies’ win.

Everyone, Thompson said, bounced back in a 33-23 win over East Carolina a week later to prepare for the Georgia game. Thompson got the Gamecocks going early with three first-half touchdowns for a 24-13 lead. They kept regained a 10-point lead on Brandon Wilds’ 24-yard rushing TD early in the final period, charging up players and fans at the sold-out stadium.

When Spurrier saw Thompson celebrating too hard, too soon, he let him know that’s not a leader’s role.

“I said, ‘Dylan, man, you’re the quarterback. You’re not supposed to be jumping around like it’s over. Keep the guys’ minds on the game,'” Spurrier said.

Spurrier was proven right as Georgia drew within three points, then reached South Carolina’s 4 after Thompson’s interception with less than six minutes to go. The Bulldogs got no closer, yet Thompson pledged to do better at keeping his teammates’ focused.

“I understand what he’s saying. Stay in the flow of the game and keep control,” he said. “I’ve got to do a better job of that.”

Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason thinks Thompson’s showing he belongs with the top SEC quarterbacks this season after the Georgia win. “Dylan Thompson had his best game in terms of formulating an explosive offense,” he said.

Thompson’s least favorite football memories came at Vanderbilt two years ago when Shaw got hurt right before halftime and the backup was ineffective — 0-for-3 passing, sacked twice — and Spurrier brought his starter back to finish off a 17-13 win.

South Carolina left guard A.J. Cann believes Thompson’s eager to make amends for that showing this Saturday night.

“Knowing him, I would say so. He’s been studying tape on Vandy’s defense since we left the field against Georgia,” Cann said.

Thompson is more the drop back passer that Spurrier developed during his “Fun-n-Gun” days at Florida from 1990-2001. So far, that shows with Thompson, fourth in the SEC at 310 yards a game, on pace to shatter South Carolina’s single-season yardage mark.

“It’s way too early” to consider that, Thompson said.

For him, it’s one step — and one big victory — at a time.

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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