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Oklahoma freshman RB Perine ready for bigger role

By WTOP Staff

CLIFF BRUNT
AP Sports Writer

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — The stories circulating about Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine resemble Paul Bunyan-esque tall tales.

One look at the 5-foot-11, 243-pound bruiser, and it’s easier than not to believe the stories.

The 19-year-old true freshman said he was mistaken for a parent more than once during his official visit to Oklahoma. There is a story about him stopping an elevator right as it closed that left teammates in awe.

Then, there is the weight room legend. Perine said he has lifted 20 reps with 275 pounds on the bench press. His website says he has bench pressed 435 pounds, inclined 375, and cleaned 320.

His fellow Oklahoma running back, Alex Ross, said there is seemingly no limit to how much weight Perine can lift.

“Summer workouts, basically, anything you put on the bar, he could do,” Ross said. “With ease. I knew then he’d be ready. One afternoon, he was doing incline bench, and Coach was scratching his head putting weight on there. He can do any of the weight. It doesn’t even matter. It’s crazy.”

Perine has taken his physical gifts and translated them into on-the-field performance. He is Oklahoma’s No. 2 rusher heading into the fourth-ranked Sooners’ Big 12 opener at West Virginia on Saturday. With starting running back Keith Ford out for at least a week because of a hairline fracture in his right fibula, Perine’s opportunity to carry a significant load has come early.

He got his first start last week against Tennessee, and he should get more carries this week.

“It’s a great feeling for me that the coaches have such respect for me and are able to depend on me this much early in my career,” Perine said.

The coaches felt Perine had the tools to be an immediate contributor. They were more certain once they saw his work ethic.

“You never know what you’ve got until they step on the football field on game day,” co-offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said. “During training camp, he was a very mature player, and we felt like he was going to handle everything really well.”

Perine was Oklahoma’s No. 3 back entering the opener against Louisiana Tech, but he led the Sooners with 77 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. He ran for 34 yards against Tulsa, then led the Sooners again with 67 yards on just nine carries against Tennessee.

He had 55 yards on just six carries in the second half against Tennessee and showed some speed on a 31-yard burst.

“Samaje gets in there in the second half, and he’s fresh,” Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. “There he is, man, and he’s pounding it. He’s a strong, physical player and has a great base to him. He does everything you want. He was a big boost there in the second half.”

A typical Perine run includes him hitting the line with deceptive speed, bodies bouncing off of him, and a pile moving forward. So far, he has lost yardage on just two of his 32 carries.

Humble, yet confident, Perine adds to the budding legend with straightforward answers that are as hard-hitting as his running style.

“I look for contact for the most part,” he said. “I’m not the one that will try to juke you. I will if I have to, but I don’t look to do that much.”

How he delivers the words reveals another side. His intelligence, as well as his size, give the aura of a much older man.

“Basically, when you come in as a freshman, it’s physical and mental,” Ross said. “With him, physically, he was all there. Mentally, he was all there. So it correlates big in a game.”

___

Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP

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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