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MSU’s Lewis a threat to run, catch and throw

By WTOP Staff

DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — It’s easy to lose Mississippi State’s Jameon Lewis on the football field. At just 5-foot-9 and 187 pounds, he can often slice through creases in the defense or slip behind the offensive line undetected.

And when that happens, the other team is usually in trouble.

Lewis might be the most versatile player in the Southeastern Conference. He’s listed as a receiver, but pulled the rare trifecta last season of accounting for a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game.

Even more impressive: He did it twice.

“I am glad I caught some eyes last year,” Lewis said. “But I think the best is yet to come.”

Mississippi State opens its season against Southern Mississippi on Saturday at newly remodeled Davis Wade Stadium.

Bulldogs’ quarterback Dak Prescott is the undeniable focal point of the offense this season after throwing for 1,940 yards and rushing for 829 more in 2013, but Lewis isn’t far behind as the second option.

The senior led the team with 64 catches for 923 yards and five touchdowns while needing just 13 carries to rush for 117 yards and three touchdowns.

Then there was the passing threat: He completed all three of his attempts for 84 yards and three touchdowns.

His quarterback efficiency rating? 665.2. For a quick comparison, Johnny Manziel’s was 172.9 last season.

Lewis and Prescott work together well when paired together in the backfield. And Lewis’ throwing ability have even allowed Prescott to moonlight as a receiver: He was the one who caught two of the receiver’s touchdown passes.

“It’s the best, really,” Prescott said. “You can get the ball to him quick, hand it off to him. Just get it to him in the open field and he is going to make plays. I have that confidence in him that, down field 1-on-1 with that defender on him, I have the confidence in him and he knows I am going to throw him the ball.”

Lewis was a high school quarterback and is comfortable throwing passes. The Bulldogs need him to have a big senior season, and Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen is confident Lewis can still bring an element of surprise.

“The key to trick plays is when you call them,” Mullen said. “Inherently, you draw up a trick play and there’s a lot of danger to call it. It can be a big hit or it can be a big miss. So a lot of times it’s more the ‘when,’ not the ‘what’ you’re calling.”

Mullen has never been afraid to call trick plays. Lewis was his go-to man last season, but there might be a few more wrinkles in the future.

“I think our personnel gives us the flexibility to be able to do that,” Mullen said. “When we get guys who are high school quarterbacks — not just with Jameon Lewis but now you’ve got Gabe Myles — you have guys who are going to be comfortable doing things.”

Lewis says he’s excited about the season opener because he was recruited by Southern Miss and has some former high school teammates who play for the Golden Eagles.

But he cautioned against expecting too much in the season opener.

“Yeah, we got some of those packages still,” said Lewis. “But I am pretty sure we’re not gonna pull those out until mid-season when games get real.”

___

Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP

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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