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Spotlight on Mariota for the No. 3 Ducks

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Marcus Mariota takes a lot of ribbing over his course load this semester: yoga and golf.

For those joking that Mariota need only add underwater basketweaving, the reality is that the quarterback for No. 3 Oregon finished his degree requirements in just three years.

Oh, and opponents should also take note that those easy A’s mean Mariota is going to be able to spend a lot more time focusing on football this season.

“With the amount of free time I’ll have, it will mean being early in the treatment room, remaining healthy and doing recovery stuff, and along with that film work and being around the building more to do that kind of thing. To be able to have a little more time for football it will really be beneficial to me,” he said.

The Ducks open at home on Saturday night against South Dakota.

Mariota averaged nearly 282 yards passing per game and threw for 31 touchdowns with only four interceptions last season. He also rushed for 715 yards and nine scores. His 4,380 yards of total offense set a school record.

All the while he was also taking 20 units. Toward a science degree, no less. He graduates (early) in December.

“He was taking all these upper division biology, upper division science. He had 20 credits and aiming to get done in time to graduate. It was just impressive. He’s managed his media obligations and still doing everything he has in the community, which is substantial by anyone’s measure,” coach Mark Helfrich said.

There was speculation last season that he’d jump at opportunities in the NFL, but Mariota announced early on that he was sticking with the Ducks.

Mariota, a redshirt junior, said his decision didn’t have all that much to do with “unfinished business” after Oregon lost two games last season to fall out of national championship contention. It had more to do with finishing school and the Ducks. He said he’s interested — someday — in pursuing a career in sports medicine.

“For me I wanted to come back and get my degree, come back and enjoy another year with the guys and experience college for another year,” he said.

In large part because of Mariota’s return, the Ducks enter the season at No. 3 in the AP Top 25. Oregon has been picked in the annual poll of reporters who cover the conference to finish this season atop the Pac-12 North and claim the league’s championship.

Mariota has never led the Ducks to the Pac-12 title; Darron Thomas was the quarterback when Oregon won in 2011.

Mariota was a Heisman contender last season before struggling with a left knee injury. The Ducks had climbed to No. 2 in the AP rankings but Mariota tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee against UCLA and the next week Oregon fell to Stanford 26-20.

The Ducks also lost 42-16 to Arizona in Tucson, dropping Oregon to No. 12 and out of the running for a national championship bid.

The Cardinal went on to claim the Pac-12 North and beat Arizona State in the league championship to earn a spot in the Rose Bowl. Oregon wrapped up the season ranked No. 10 at 11-2 after defeating Texas 30-7 in the Alamo Bowl.

“Too many times we were relying on Marcus, especially in the Arizona game or Stanford. We were relying on Marcus to make big plays and that shouldn’t ever happen again,” center Hroniss Grasu said when Oregon opened fall camp. “A lot of that comes down on the offensive line. We just gotta take the slack off his shoulders.”

The Ducks’ primary concern at the position this season is who will be Mariota’s backup.

Sophomore Jeff Lockie appeared most likely to earn the job, but Oregon’s practices are closed so it’s uncertain if anyone else has emerged during fall camp. Lockie came off the bench in nine games last season, completing eight of 13 passes with an interception and no touchdowns.

Jake Rodrigues and Damion Hobbs transferred, so the team has Taylor Alie and promising incoming freshman Morgan Mahalak competing for second-team reps with Lockie.

Backups aside, Helfrich said Mariota’s decision to return for the season made a major statement for the entire team.

“If I’m the backup guard and I see that guy forgo what he could have made, it’s not some lip service dream, this is a reality of a ton of money. It’s like, ‘That guy turned down how much? OK, I’ll watch him.’ That’s huge,” Helfrich said. “I think it speaks to the type of guy he is, the type of team we are, and certainly, hopefully, to the type of program that we have.”

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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