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Track star Demps trying to make transition to NFL

By WTOP Staff

FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Olympic sprinter Jeff Demps is trying to make the best of an opportunity to revive his football career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The former University of Florida running back made his NFL debut last year, appearing in two games after joining the Bucs following the close of his track and field season.

The 24-year-old, who was referred to as the fastest player in the league by coach Lovie Smith, subsequently decided to take up football full time. He is expected to see action Friday when Tampa Bay plays its preseason opener at Jacksonville, which will take its first look at rookie quarterback Blake Bortles in a game.

Demps was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic 4×100 relay team that won a silver medal at London.

Although he hasn’t gone through a full football training camp since he was a senior in college three years ago, he and the Bucs stress the attempt to pursue a pro career is not an experiment.

“I’ve got a football background. I grew up playing football,” Demps said. “The reason I started track was to stay in shape for football. I just kind of fell in love with it having the success that I have.”

The 5-foot-7, 175-pound speedster regained his passion for the game last season, when he gained 14 yards on his only rushing attempt, had three pass receptions for 21 yards and averaged 23.3 yards per return on four kickoffs against Arizona and Philadelphia.

Tampa Bay’s depth chart for Friday night lists him as the fifth running back behind Doug Martin, Bobby Rainey, rookie Charles Sims and Mike James.

Smith cautions it’s far too early to predict how a player with Demps’ potential might fit into plans for a team that ranked last in passing and total offense in 2013.

“You hear that title fastest man in the NFL. You search for ways to utilize him,” Smith said, adding it’s difficult to not notice fans “ooh-ing and ahh-ing” when Demps lines up in the slot as a potential receiver or settles under kickoffs during practice.

“Sometimes you get a track athlete, they’d rather work out before you put pads on,” the coach added. “That’s not the case with Jeff. Jeff will let you know he is a football player.”

Demps averaged 6.7 yards per carry in rushing for 2,470 yards and 23 touchdowns in four seasons at Florida from 2008-11. He had 57 receptions for 481 yards and averaged over 28 yards on kickoff returns, while also helping the Gators win a national championship.

He initially entered NFL as an undrafted free agent with New England in 2012, appearing in two preseason games before being placed on injured reserve.

Unable to obtain a full-time commitment from Demps, the Patriots traded him to Tampa Bay in exchange for LeGarrette Blount in April 2013.

Demps joined the Bucs in September, making his debut against the Cardinals and playing a limited role the following game against the Eagles. He inactive the next three games, then spent the final eight weeks of the season on injured reserve (groin).

Being around football again for an extended period, though, rekindled his enthusiasm.

“I still love track and field, no doubt about that. But I think it’s for me this year to just focus on football and get better at that,” Demps said.

“I don’t know if it was because I was away … or injuries, but it’s kind of like I had lost the love for the game,” he added. “When I came in for those weeks and got to practice with the guys, the atmosphere felt like college and I felt that passion for it again. It sparked everything, and I said let me try to give this a full shot and see what I can do with it.”

Smith likes what he’s seen so far.

“It’s early. What you do is you continue to put players in a position to make plays,” the coach said. “Jeff seems to get noticed just about every day. It’s tough competition. I like all of our running backs. But he brings something that’s a little unique, so we’ll see.”

Chad Henne will start at quarterback for the Jaguars, who plan to play their starters for about a quarter.

Bortles, the third overall pick in the draft, has not taken any snaps with the first-team offense during training camp. Coach Gus Bradley doesn’t anticipate that changing Friday night.

“Right now we’re looking at the second quarter, and we’ll see how it goes in the third quarter,” Bradley said. “We’d like to get him some extended reps.”

___

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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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