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Murphy’s inconsistent play costs Boston College

By WTOP Staff

BOSTON (AP) — Boston College quarterback Tyler Murphy showed flashes of his dual-threat ability. The problem was he didn’t do it often enough.

James Conner ran for 213 yards and a touchdown to lead Pittsburgh to a 30-20 victory over Boston College on Friday night in the first Atlantic Coast Conference matchup between the former Big East foes.

Two plays into BC’s first offensive series, Murphy broke free for a 51-yard scamper down the left sideline, setting up Tyler Rouse’s 1-yard touchdown run. Late in the quarter, Murphy’s inability to hit consecutive wide open receivers after a turnover deep in Pittsburgh territory turned the game around.

“I made a decision on the turnover there,” BC coach Steve Addazio said. “We came with two play-action plays and they were right calls, right on the money. We didn’t connect on two wide open passes. We threw them and didn’t get any points on that drive.”

With BC up 7-3, the Eagles’ Alex Howell missed a 46-yard field goal attempt.

The Panthers then marched 71 yards in nine plays, taking the lead. The Eagles never led again.

Murphy completed 10 of 28 passes for 134 yards for BC, with a touchdown and two interceptions. The transfer quarterback also ran 15 times for 92 yards and a 2-yard touchdown run that, with the missed 2-point conversion, made it 30-20 with 43 seconds left.

“I hate to think about that, but if we get points on that drive it can be a different ballgame,” Murphy said. “It just shows you have to be consistent.”

In the second half, it was the same for the graduate transfer QB. He connected on 3 for 3 passes, capping a 75-yard drive with a 48-yard scoring toss to Shakim Phillips. After that, he missed on his next seven passes.

“We’ve got to be better,” Phillips said. “He didn’t make a bunch of bad passes. It’s not all on him.”

Chad Voytik completed 10 of 21 passes for 111 yards, connecting with Tyler Boyd for two touchdowns. A week after rushing for 409 yards in a 62-0 victory over Delaware, the Panthers (2-0, 1-0) ran for 305 against the Eagles (1-1, 0-1) — and Conner was again the star.

The 250-pound sophomore, who ran for 153 yards and four touchdowns against the Blue Hens last week, broke free for a 9-yard TD run against the Eagles that made it 27-7 in the third quarter and all-but put the game away.

After running for 338 yards against UMass in their first game since the graduation of Heisman Trophy finalist Andre Williams, the Eagles gained 142 on Friday. The top BC running back, Myles Willis, gained 14 yards on seven carries.

Conner ran three times for 17 yards on the opening drive before it stalled at the BC 31 and Pitt settled for a field goal. On BC’s first possession, Murphy broke free on a keeper for the 51 yards before he was pushed out at the 1 while diving for the pylon.

Originally ruled a touchdown, it didn’t go on the board until one play later when Rouse went up the middle to make it 7-3.

It stayed that way until Pitt scored on a 71-yard drive early in the second. The Panthers got 41 yards on carries by Conner before Voytik connected with Boyd on a 15-yard jump ball in the end zone to give the Panthers a 10-7 lead.

It was 13-7 when BC drove to the Pitt 27 but then took a 3-yard loss and a penalty to fall out of field goal range. The punt went into the end zone and left Pitt with 1:15 left in the half.

Boyd ran for 19 yards and picked up another 15 on a horse-collar tackle, then Voytik led the Panthers to the 5 before hitting Boyd for the touchdown that made it 20-7 at the half.

Pittsburgh made it 27-7 thanks to a 41-yard pass to Boyd that set up Conner’s 9-yard touchdown run. BC answered with a 48-yard pass to Phillips, but could never get any closer until it was too late.

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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