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49ers WR Bruce Ellington focused on NFL career

By WTOP Staff

PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (AP) — Gone are the days when Bruce Ellington would rush from a basketball workout with South Carolina teammates to a football meeting room to learn the complex schemes of coach Steve Spurrier. Ellington’s only focus is the San Francisco 49ers and making an impact on the NFL.

“It was fun, all the rushing around,” said Ellington, taken in the fourth round by the 49ers. “I thought I could do and I went after it.”

Ellington hosted a youth camp Friday at his high school with his older cousin, Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington who twice rushed for 1,000 yards while playing college ball at Clemson.

Bruce Ellington actually pared down his workload in college after playing three sports — he ran track, too — at Berkeley High. He helped his school win a state football title his senior year and many figured he slide nicely into South Carolina’s rising football program.

Instead, he decided his future was solely on the court. He led the Gamecocks in scoring as a freshman in 2010-11, starting all 30 games. But when South Carolina struggled to win games, Ellington felt like he was missing out not playing alongside football standouts like Alshon Jeffery, Marcus Lattimore and Stephone Gilmore — also Palmetto State prep stars.

“I didn’t say much about it,” Andre Ellington said. “But I knew he was going to miss football.”

So Bruce began a two-sport odyssey that continued for three years until January, when he gave up his senior seasons in basketball and football to jump to the NFL.

“It took some time to realize what I wanted to do,” Ellington said. “This is it.”

And Ellington believes he’ll continue improving in the pros. At 5-foot-9, Ellington is tied for the shortest receiver on the 49ers’ roster. But Ellington’s got a relentless nature for finding open space and holding onto almost everything thrown his way, said his former high school coach Jerry Brown.

“Football’s played on a big field and it’s hard to track someone like Bruce who’s got so much agility,” Brown said.

Ellington found his football form as a sophomore when he was South Carolina’s top receiver with 40 catches for 600 yards and seven touchdowns, including a 32-yard grab with 11 seconds left to beat Michigan in the Outback Bowl two years ago.

Ellington was again South Carolina’s top receiver in 2013. His best regular-season showing came at Missouri when he had 10 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns in the 27-24, double-overtime victory. Ellington saved the game in the first overtime with his fourth-and-goal, 15-yard TD catch to keep things going.

“I think that may have been my favorite moment,” he said, smiling.

Ellington capped his college career with his most versatile game: He had nine catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns to beat Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl. Ellington also threw a nine-yard TD pass to quarterback Connor Shaw.

Ellington kept his football mentality while continually playing and training with basketball teammates. South Carolina basketball coach Frank Martin never saw Ellington’s intensity drop, no matter what he had done to prepare for football.

Ellington, 22, swears he never got worn down at playing or prepping for two major college sports at a Southeastern Conference school.

“I’m a young guy,” he said. “It’s hard to get tired.”

Ellington believes he can bring that drive to the 49ers. The team hasn’t put expectations on him and he won’t either, eager to prove his worth when the games start. And no, he says he’s not planning a call to the NBA’s Golden State Warriors to see if he can get in some hoops action in his down time.

“I’m just going to work hard, give it a hundred (percent) every time I step on the field and keep on chasing the dream,” he said.

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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