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Georgia could stick with run-first philosophy

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia relied on its productive running game to get well in a lopsided win over Troy.

There may be more run-first games ahead for No. 12 Georgia, which plays Tennessee this week. The Bulldogs will try to even their Southeastern Conference record following a loss to South Carolina on Sept. 13.

Georgia (2-1) was dominant in compiling 547 total yards, including 367 on the ground, in Saturday’s 66-0 win over Troy.

That’s an unusual run-heavy ratio for coach Mark Richt, who has had strong passing games through the years with such quarterbacks as David Greene, Matthew Stafford and Aaron Murray.

Clearly, Georgia’s strength in 2014 is its depth of talented running backs. Richt said Sunday he could see the Bulldogs continue to emphasize that strength.

“Yeah it’s possible,” Richt said. “There’s no doubt they’re a talented bunch of backs and we’re run-blocking pretty darn good and it’s not a bad way to play a ballgame. It helps play-action pass and we like doing that, we always have.”

The big numbers on the ground against Troy came even as star tailback Todd Gurley was pulled after only six carries as Georgia quickly built a big lead. Nick Chubb, who had been the second-leading rusher, had only four carries less than a week after surgery to repair his broken left thumb.

Freshman Sony Michel took the lead with 155 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

The running game produced big plays. Michel had a 75-yard run, Gurley broke free for a 48-yard gain and Isaiah McKenzie added a 49-yarder.

Gurley’s short day wasn’t the best way to boost his Heisman Trophy chances, but Richt said it is more important to keep the junior fresh for Tennessee and other SEC games ahead.

“Hopefully he’ll have more energy next week because we’re going to need it,” Richt said.

Keith Marshall had five carries for 14 yards before being helped from the field following a hit to his surgically repaired right knee. Richt said Sunday he was told Marshall does not have another anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The running attack overshadowed another efficient performance by quarterback Hutson Mason, who completed 8 of 11 passes for 97 yards with two touchdowns. For the season, he has completed 71.2 percent of his passes for 419 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

Mason said the focus was on “just taking care of business” following a tough 38-35 loss to South Carolina.

“We wanted to come out and move on from last week and just execute,” Mason said. “The maturity of this team was really great all around. There were no lasting emotions from the South Carolina game. It was good to play our best and move on.”

Richt said he expected Troy to gear its defense to stop the run. Instead, the Trojans didn’t stack the box so Richt said there was no reason to stop calling run plays.

Georgia’s first four plays of the game were runs by Gurley for 5, 48, 10 and 7 yards. Michel then took over with two runs, including his first of two touchdowns.

“We could have said ‘Let’s throw it 50 times and see what kind of success we can have’ but we felt like it’s more important to basically take what they give us,” Richt said. “They really didn’t pack the box.

“There were times we had passes called that we checked out of the pass into the run because we felt like they were vulnerable to the run game. A lot of it was how they lined up against us. It was a little bit of a surprise.”

NOTES: Richt said CB Damian Swann, held out against Troy as a precaution after a hit to his head in practice, should play against Tennessee. Richt said Swann did not suffer a concussion. … S Quincy Mauger left the game in the first quarter with what was described by Richt on Saturday as a “stinger” to his shoulder. Richt said Sunday “my guess is he’ll be fine” for the Tennessee game.

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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