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Transfer McGee bolstering Florida’s offense

By WTOP Staff

MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — When tight end Jake McGee transferred to Florida this summer, coaches arranged for him to live with quarterback Jeff Driskel.

The two formed an instant bond.

By the end of the season, they might be best friends.

McGee is expected to play a key role in Florida’s revamped offense, a 6-foot-5, 255-pound target with the size to overmatch defensive backs, the speed to run by linebackers and the experience to be a difference-maker for Driskel and the Gators.

“He’s been great,” Driskel said. “He’s made some big plays for us. He knows what he’s doing, which is really big. You can tell he’s been around football a lot. He has really good ball skills and he’s going to be a big help for us.”

Florida has developed a number of versatile tight ends over the last decade, including Ben Troupe, Cornelius Ingram, Aaron Hernandez and Jordan Reed.

The Gators thought they had a few more in the pipeline, but Michael McFarland, Gerald Christian, A.C. Leonard, Kent Taylor and Colin Thompson all transferred during coach Will Muschamp’s four-year tenure.

Those departures left a huge hole at the position, one McGee just might be able to fill.

McGee, who earned his undergraduate degree at Virginia in May and joined Florida a few days later under the NCAA’s graduate-transfer rule, led the Cavaliers with 43 receptions for 395 yards last season.

He’s in line for more catches in Gainesville, where new offensive coordinator Kurt Roper has a knack for incorporating tight ends in his spread offense. With Roper calling plays at Duke last season, tight end Braxton Deaver was second on the team with 46 receptions for 600 yards and four touchdowns.

Those numbers are better than any player has posted at Florida since Hernandez’s final season in 2009.

So the Gators have high expectations for McGee.

“Smart guy. He’s played a lot of football, so it’s not new to him,” Roper said. “All he has to do is be able to understand the language. … He knows what big-time football is for sure.”

McGee spent his first few months in Gainesville getting up to speed with Roper’s up-tempo scheme. Rooming with Driskel over the summer surely helped.

“We did a lot of work with the plays and learning the playbook, so it’s just continuing to grow with technique, footwork and chemistry,” McGee said. “It’s something you want to continue to grow and get as crisp as you can by the first game.”

The Gators open Aug. 30 against Idaho.

They’re coming off the program’s first losing season since 1979, and there’s a lot of pressure on Muschamp and Roper to fix an offense that ranked 105th in the nation in 2011, 103rd in 2012 and 113th last year. Having Driskel back from a broken leg should be key, and getting the right guys around him will be equally important.

“I think a down season forces everyone to have a complete focus to put the best foot forward that they can,” McGee said. “You want to prove that a bad season isn’t a norm or what the guys are made of in the locker room. Coming in late, the attitude this summer was a real focused, committed to the team one. It’s a fun process.”

It’s also a process that could end with McGee catching a lot of passes from Driskel.

“He’s got really good ball skills,” Muschamp said. “He’s a matchup issue, especially in the red zone. … He really judges the ball well. He can go get it. He does, he has really good ball skills.”

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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