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SEC teams seek offensive balance in title pursuit

By WTOP Staff

GARY B. GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

The gaudy rushing, passing and receiving statistics being put up in the Southeastern Conference have grabbed headlines, but offensive balance is what leads to SEC titles.

Teams rarely achieve a true split running and passing the ball, but those that have found a way to produce an attack that yields a balance in total yards have been the most successful. Five of the last six SEC champions have had a strong ground game and big-play passing offenses.

Florida (2008) and Alabama (2009, 2012) won with nearly equal yardage totals, while run-dominated champions such as Auburn (2010) and LSU (2011) also had totals close to the middle.

It’s not impossible for one-dimensional teams to succeed in the SEC, but it’s difficult. That’s why SEC rushing leaders Arkansas and Georgia, along with Texas A&M and its prolific passing attack are trying to move closer to that middle ground.

“We are always looking to be balanced,” said LSU coach Les Miles, whose 15th-ranked Tigers have run the ball more than twice as many times as they’ve thrown (246-116) but are nearly even statistically (226.2-236.6 yards per game). “We want the situation when you take a down and distance, the defense has to defend the pass.

“In back half of a game, we may want to use time. In a game that is tied or is a close game, we want to be very balanced in the run-pass ratio.”

The ground game has been critical for the past six SEC champions who combined to run the ball 3,121 times in 4,721 regular-season plays — or 66 percent of the time. But when it comes to total yards, the percentages for yards amassed on the ground (56 percent) and in the air (44 percent) are much closer.

This weekend, the SEC’s top four offensive squads square off in Mississippi.

Sixth-ranked Texas A&M takes the conference’s top passing and overall offense (594.6 yards per game) into Starkville against No. 12 Mississippi State. Just 16 yards separate the rushing and passing yards for the Bulldogs’ third-ranked offense.

In Oxford, No. 11 Ole Miss hosts No. 3 Alabama, which has passed for just 309 more yards than it has run — thanks mostly to junior receiver Amari Cooper (655 yards, five touchdowns).

Alabama center Ryan Kelly said the Crimson Tide are nonetheless motivated to ground it out in hopes of beating the Rebels, who boast the SEC’s top defense.

“The more that we can run the ball, the more it evens out the passing game,” he said. “We don’t want to be a heavy pass team, but we’re going to take advantage of the looks we get.”

For many coaches and offensive coordinators, the weekly challenge of devising a workable ratio to keep defenses guessing also means being open to change.

Asked if he has an ideal run/pass percentage in mind, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said, “It fluctuates. It changes a little bit. Over the years it’s been my experience, you know, I don’t like to talk myself out of something during the week.”

There are times when the gameplan can work out in the box score but not necessarily on the scoreboard.

Mike Davis’ 104 yards rushing last week against Missouri were forgotten because South Carolina allowed 14 fourth-quarter points and lost 21-20 to the Tigers. Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier said it was a first for him and lamented losing a lot of “good statistics.”

But Spurrier remains committed to striving for a balanced attack — after running 42 times and passing 37 against the Tigers — while being flexible.

“Normally play-callers, you call what’s working,” he said. “If you’re not throwing very well, you try to run a little bit more. If you’re throwing well, maybe you keep throwing more. It’s pretty common sense on that.”

For Georgia coach Mark Richt, offensive balance right now comes on the ground in the successful combination of Bulldogs junior Todd Gurley (610 yards) and freshmen Sony Michel and Nick Chubb, who have combined for 369 yards and four TDs.

But Richt and the Bulldogs might start passing more with wide receivers Malcolm Mitchell and Justin Scott-Wesley returning from injuries this week, their first action of the season. That doesn’t mean, however, that Richt won’t still rely heavily on a ground game that has the Bulldogs chasing an Eastern Division title.

“If we weren’t giving (Gurley) and Chubb and Sony and (Keith) Marshall the ball a good bit, I think most people would be saying ‘Why aren’t you giving those guys the ball?,'” Richt said. “So I don’t think we’re going to have quite the same balance as we’ve had in the past because of the dynamics of that backfield right now.”

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AP Sports Writers Charles Odum in Athens, Georgia; Steve Megargee in Knoxville, Tennessee; Jeffrey S. Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Brett Martell in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and John Zenor in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 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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