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Faith helps Notre Dame receiver through adversity

By WTOP Staff

TOM COYNE
Associated Press

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Faith has helped Notre Dame slot receiver Amir Carlisle get through the tough times.

It’s what he leaned when a leg injury kept him from playing in 2012 as the Fighting Irish advanced to the national championship game and again when his confidence was shaken by a potentially costly fumble against Purdue last year.

“Throughout the injuries, there were times I could have gotten down and my season didn’t go exactly as I planned it to go,” he said. “But I really got on my Bible and prayed about things and talked with my mom.”

The 5-10, 190-pound senior from Santa Clara, California, who played as a freshman at USC, appeared to be on the verge of claiming the job as Notre Dame’s top running back early last season. He was leading the Irish with 19 carries for 132 yards through the first two games and was coming off a strong performance against Michigan, rushing for 64 yards on 12 carries.

Then against Purdue, he fumbled midway through the fourth quarter at his own 41-yard line immediately after the Boilermakers scored to cut the lead to 31-24. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed the Boilermakers back 15 yards and the Irish defense held. Carlisle, though, never recovered.

He carried the ball 30 times for 148 yards through the first three games and 17 times for 56 yards the rest of the season. Carlisle calls it a “learning experience.”

“I put it in the past. All I can do is focus on the present and being the best I can on Saturday,” he said.

Coaches approached him during winter workouts about switching from running back to slot receiver. He said he embraced the change quickly, saying he was grateful to the coaches for giving him another opportunity to help the team win.

“I really took a positive mind-set to the position change and really dug down deep in the offseason to prepare for the time now,” he said.

There was a lot to learn about running routes, focusing on catching the ball with playing in space.

“Understanding and reading the coverage and getting a feel for how a defense is playing you to attack the soft spots has been my biggest adjustment,” he said.

Kelly said he started to see Carlisle’s confidence return in the spring. He had another big performance against the Wolverines, catching two touchdowns passes and finishing with seven catches for 61 yards.

“I thought he made some outstanding catches in traffic. Held on to the football, toe tapped one on the sideline, showed a really good skill set at that position in particular,” Kelly said. “I thought this was a statement game for him.”

Carlisle said he worked over the summer with Mike Johnson, a former NFL and college assistant coach, who now coaches at The King’s Academy in Sunnyvale, California, with helping him learn the position.

“He really worked on the finer details of the game with me,” Carlisle said.

He said he’s focusing on continuing to improve as the 11th-ranked Irish play Saturday night against Purdue (1-1), where Carlisle’s father, Duane, is director of sports performance. Carlisle said it was a bit odd for him playing against his father’s team last year, but not this year. He said he’s past that.

He said his talks with his father this week have been the same as any other week.

“The father-son connection comes before any football activity,” he said.

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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