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Buckeyes on a history-making roll on offense

By WTOP Staff

RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Urban Meyer came to Ohio State three years ago with the reputation of having a hurry-up, quick-play, no-huddle, high-scoring offense.

It hasn’t worked out that way until now.

Led by freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett and tailback Ezekiel Elliott, the 20th-ranked Buckeyes have scored 116 points and totaled 78 first downs and 1,338 yards the past two weeks in victories over defense-challenged Kent State and Cincinnati.

Meyer likes what he sees.

“It’s a street fight to get the ball right now,” he said of the competition among skill players.

There’s more depth up front, there are more options in the passing attack (10 players had receptions in Saturday’s 50-28 blowout of Cincinnati), and there’s a general feeling that the Buckeyes are meshing just as they begin Big Ten play on Saturday at Maryland.

“There’s been times in the past when we want to run very up tempo and it looks awful because everyone’s (tired),” Meyer said. “I don’t feel that way at all now. And, more importantly, our offensive coordinator (Tom Herman) is a big tempo guy. On the headsets it’s, ‘Go, go, go!'”

The Buckeyes are averaging about 10 more offensive plays per game than Oregon, renowned for its snap it, score and celebrate style.

Barrett, who took over in camp when three-year starter Braxton Miller was lost for the year due to shoulder surgery, appears to have made strides every week.

For the season in his first four collegiate starts, he is hitting 64 percent of his passes for an average of 272 yards and three TDs per game. His decision-making has been superlative and he’s also been an effective runner (51 yards a game).

“He’s a great leader. He’s super poised,” said tight end Jeff Heuerman. “So it doesn’t surprise me how he’s handled his business.”

Elliott had the difficult assignment of stepping in for departed senior Carlos Hyde, who rushed for more than 1,500 yards last year despite sitting out three games with a suspension.

“He was more of a bruiser-type back,” Elliott said. “I like to get outside more; I have a little more finesse to me.”

In his finest collegiate game, the sophomore showed strength inside and speed outside in picking up 182 yards on 28 carries with a touchdown last week.

“He did the job you would want a Carlos Hyde to do, but he’s a different runner than Carlos,” line coach and co-offensive coordinator Ed Warinner said. “Ezekiel is playing great right now. We just have to keep him going.”

The line, with four new starters, started slowly but has made surprisingly fast progress in recent weeks.

“We had a good game on Saturday,” said Pat Elflein, starting at center. “We just keep getting better. That’s what we’re doing in practice.”

Ohio State tied an NCAA record with 45 first downs in the win over Cincinnati. The Buckeyes are on pace for one of the most productive seasons ever — despite so-so productivity the first two games.

They visit sold-out Byrd Stadium for the Terrapins’ first Big Ten home game on Saturday.

Now if the Terps can just figure out a way to slow the (almost) point-a-minute Buckeyes.

“You can see they’ve gotten better from the first game and now going into the fifth game,” Maryland coach Randy Edsall said. “J.T. Barrett is playing at a really high level and their skill guys as well. Their offensive line is coming along. They were young and now they have more experience.”

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Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RustyMillerAP

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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