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Mariota piles up Oregon records

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Marcus Mariota keeps piling up records at Oregon. What he’d really like to collect is wins.

Two down.

After Oregon’s 46-27 victory Saturday over then-No. 7 Michigan State, the Ducks are an early favorite for one of the spots in college football’s first playoff. As a result of the victory, Oregon climbed a spot in the AP Top 25 to No. 2 — and earned 16 first-place votes from the media panel.

“For us, we’re 2-0. It doesn’t change our mentality at all,” Mariota said. “We want to build upon this win for the rest of the year, but we didn’t put any more emphasis into this game than any other we’ve played. We’re 2-0 right now and we’re looking forward to next week.”

Mariota threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Ducks to four straight touchdowns in the second half. He also solidified himself as a Heisman Trophy front-runner.

The three scoring passes gave him 69 for his career at Oregon, surpassing Darron Thomas (66) on the school list. His 341 yards of total offense gave him an Oregon-record 8,479 yards, ahead of Bill Musgrave (8,140).

His passing yards moved him ahead of Joey Harrington for fourth on the Ducks’ career list.

“I should have to pay to watch that guy play,” Oregon coach Mark Helfrich joked.

Mariota has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all 28 games he’s played at Oregon. He’s thrown at least two in 20 of those games.

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

Oregon went 11-2 last season, losing to Stanford and Arizona. The Ducks had climbed to No. 2 in the rankings and appeared poised for a national championship bid, but Mariota tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, limiting him in the two losses.

Stanford would go on to win the Pac-12 championship and face Michigan State in the Rose Bowl. Oregon downed Texas in the Alamo Bowl.

While he’s had a stellar run with the Ducks, Mariota has never led Oregon to the Pac-12 title; Thomas was the quarterback when Oregon last won it in 2011.

There was a lot of speculation this past winter that Mariota might bolt for the NFL. But he decided to stay in school, and this winter he’ll graduate with a degree in science. Because he completed all his coursework in three and a half years, he’s taking yoga and golf this semester — giving him more time to focus on football.

So far it’s showed. Collectively this season he has thrown for 585 yards, 292.5 yards a game, and six touchdowns with no interceptions. He has run for 85 yards and another score. Oregon opened with a 62-13 victory over South Dakota.

On Saturday, Mariota made a game-changing play midway through the third quarter. Trailing the Spartans 27-10 and facing a third-and 10, the pocket collapsed around him.

He escaped and looked as if he may take off running, but instead he flipped the ball to true freshman Royce Freeman for a 17-yard reception and a first down.

The Ducks scored on that series, and added three more touchdowns for the win.

“I’m happy he’s my teammate,” cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu said. “I wouldn’t want to go against a quarterback like that.”

Afterward both his own teammates and even the Spartans pointed to the play as the instant when the momentum shifted Oregon’s way. A day later, many are saying that the play may go down as Mariota’s Heisman moment.

“The guy’s just special. He’s awesome.” Helfrich said following the game. “He’s in there talking about what he could’ve done differently and better.”

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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