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Oklahoma State wants more from Hill on offense

By WTOP Staff

JOHN TRANCHINA
Associated Press

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Tyreek Hill entered the season as one of college football’s most anticipated players, being voted the Big 12 Conference’s preseason newcomer of the year.

While Hill has flashed his elite-level speed on occasion and had a huge impact on No. 16 Oklahoma State’s 37-20 victory last weekend over Iowa State with a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, he has not been as productive as expected on offense for the Cowboys (4-1, 2-0 Big 12).

He was dominant against Iowa State on special teams, gaining 194 return yards, including a touchdown on the second half’s opening kickoff that made it 20-6 and transformed a close, tense game into an Oklahoma State rout. He also came close to bringing back two punt returns, finishing the day with 221 all-purpose yards.

Hill is second in the Big 12 and 10th in the nation with an average of 161.4 all-purpose yards per game.

“He’s getting 200 yards in a game, but he needs to get more on offense,” said coach Mike Gundy. “We need to find more ways to get him the ball, but (other teams) can stop him from getting the ball if they want, which most teams are attracted to him when he’s on the field.”

Hill, a transfer from Garden City Community College, has still been productive as the squad’s second running back, earning 196 yards rushing on 38 carries (an average of 5.2 yards per rush). He’s also added 131 yards on 14 receptions, including a 50-yard touchdown on Sept. 25 against Texas Tech.

Hill’s potential was tantalizing, especially after his sprinting helped OSU win its first Big 12 indoor track and field championship last spring. He claimed the conference title in the 200 meters and placed second in the 60. He finished fifth in the 200 at the NCAA national championships.

Expectations elevated further following his explosive debut in Oklahoma State’s season-opening loss to No. 1 Florida State, when he racked up 278 yards, including 44 rushing and 62 receiving.

But, as Gundy noted, his impact on offense has been blunted by opposing teams keying on him defensively — a tactic that has limited Hill’s game-breaking abilities, but also opened up other options for Oklahoma State.

“We’ve tried to get him in space a number of ways, but they’re so zoned into him when he’s on the field, he attracts so much attention, he’s almost better for us lately as a decoy,” Gundy said. “In the second half (against Iowa State), when we put him over there stacked, they moved so many people over there that we just started playing the other side of the field.”

Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich vowed that if defenses continued to double-team Hill, the Cowboys will just move the ball by other means.

“When they’re going to double-team one guy, somebody’s drawing single coverage,” Yurcich said. “You don’t prefer to throw the ball into double coverage, so you’re looking to go elsewhere with the ball.”

Gundy said that utilizing Hill simply as a decoy, though, was not in the game plan.

“We’ve often thought about that, but we would prefer for him to touch the ball more,” Gundy said.

Hill changed the Iowa State game with his speed, accelerating away from everyone on the field after he broke his last tackle at about the OSU 40 on the kickoff return. Upon crossing the goal line, Hill made a motion as if he was breaking through the finish line tape on the track.

“That was just waiting to happen,” said freshman safety Tre Flowers, a key special teams player. “We know he’s the fastest, so finally people got to see him open up. It’s bound to happen again.”

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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