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Georgia Tech’s Thomas 1 of ACC’s breakout stars

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — Justin Thomas’s will to win has helped Georgia Tech get off to an impressive start in what has been a memorable first month as the Yellow Jackets’ starting quarterback.

Thomas, who has back-to-back 100-yard rushing games, is one of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s new names in starring roles.

Among the ACC’s other breakout stars: Louisville safety Gerod Holliman, another first-year starter who leads the nation in interceptions; Duke freshman running back Shaun Wilson, who had a school-record 245 yards rushing against Kansas; Florida State receiver Jesus Wilson and North Carolina State quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

Behind Thomas, the Yellow Jackets are quietly still unbeaten.

He ranks second among FBS quarterbacks with his 110.8 yards rushing per game. That’s impressive but not a huge surprise. Georgia Tech’s spread option attack has produced big rushing numbers for other quarterbacks.

It’s more notable when a Georgia Tech quarterback has seven touchdown passes so early in the season. No quarterback in Paul Johnson’s first six years as coach had more than 11 for a full season.

Thomas, a sophomore, has made his mark with comeback wins.

He threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Deon Hill with 23 seconds remaining to lift Georgia Tech to a 42-38 win over Georgia Southern. Thomas provided more clutch play by running for 165 yards and passing for 125 yards, including the tying touchdown pass, in a 27-24 comeback win at Virginia Tech. He also had an 80-yard touchdown run wiped out by a penalty against the Hokies.

Thomas said he is motivated by “the will to win, not wanting to fail.”

“I know nobody wants to fail but it’s the want-to, I guess,” he said. “You’ve got to want to win and do anything possible to help the team to win.”

Johnson said Thomas plays with poise for a first-year starter and continues to improve.

“The more success he has, the more confident he gets,” Johnson said. “When he becomes confident and he plays more, he’s going to be a handful. He’s got the skill traits to be pretty good.”

At Louisville, Holliman has made his mark on the other side of the ball.

He already has six interceptions, though he didn’t break into the Cardinals’ starting lineup until last week. He was a backup last season to all-conference safeties Hakeem Smith and Calvin Pryor.

Holliman had his second straight two-interception game last week at Florida International. He returned one for a touchdown.

Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said Holliman plays with confidence because he “has done a really nice job of studying, understanding what passing routes we’re going to see.”

Duke’s Wilson is just a freshman who doesn’t start, but leads the nation with his average of 12.08 yards per carry. He is only third in Duke’s four-man rotation, but he flashed star potential with his school-record performance against Kansas in just his third college game.

His strategy for success is pretty simple.

“Get the ball, and if you see green, you’ve got to just go,” he said.

Another Wilson is also having a breakout season: Jesus Wilson at Florida State, no relation to Shaun.

Jesus Wilson, a sophomore who had only three catches last year, already has 13 for 200 yards and three touchdowns as the Seminoles’ complement to star senior Rashad Greene.

The diminutive Wilson (5-foot-9, 177 pounds) broke out with six catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns against North Carolina State last week.

“He’s always had athleticism,” said coach Jimbo Fisher. “Now he’s doing it and has confidence and he’s done a great job. He really has a lot of ability, and he’s a very smart young man.”

Fisher also praised the Wolfpack’s Brissett, who the coach said he tried to recruit.

Brissettt has found a home in North Carolina. The Florida transfer threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns in North Carolina State’s 56-41 loss to No. 1 Florida State. His big day may not have surprised Wolfpack fans since he entered the season with high expectations, but it earned him national attention.

His mobility extended plays and frustrated Florida State’s defense.

Through five games, Brissett has 13 TD passes and only one interception.

Impressive numbers, just like they have been for all the new names in starring roles.

___

AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard from Raleigh, North Carolina; Kareem Copeland from Tallahassee, Florida; Hank Kurz Jr. from Charlottesville, Virginia; Peter Iacobelli from Clemson, South Carolina; Joedy McCreary from Durham, North Carolina; Gary B. Graves from Louisville, Kentucky and George Henry from Atlanta contributed to this report.

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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