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Backup college quarterbacks take on starring roles

By WTOP Staff

STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer

College football playoff contenders are discovering one elite quarterback isn’t necessarily enough to compete for a national title.

A capable backup is essential.

“You’re a shoelace away from that guy going in the game,” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said.

Florida State, Ohio State and UCLA were ranked seventh or higher in the preseason Top 25 mostly because of the presence of star quarterbacks, but each school has relied on its backup in at least one game. The trend may continue Thursday when No. 15 Arizona State (3-0) hosts No. 11 UCLA (3-0) in a potential matchup of backups.

UCLA coach Jim Mora isn’t saying whether Brett Hundley is healthy enough to play after an elbow injury caused him to miss most of the Bruins’ 20-17 victory against Texas on Sept. 13. Arizona State coach Todd Graham indicated junior Mike Bercovici will make his first career start because of a quarterback Taylor Kelly’s foot injury.

“Everyone tells me to embrace the situation, and obviously I am,” Bercovici said. “It’s not distracting to me. I see it all as love. A lot of people are counting on me to win this game, for us to win this game. I appreciate everyone who has congratulated me, but ultimately nothing has been accomplished yet.”

Bercovici can look to the opposite sideline for inspiration.

UCLA is still undefeated thanks to Jerry Neuheisel stepping in for Hundley and rallying his team at Texas. A week later, top-ranked Florida State overcame Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston’s one-game suspension to edge Clemson 23-17 in overtime, with backup Sean Maguire throwing for 304 yards.

Other teams dependent on backups haven’t stayed unbeaten.

No. 22 Ohio State’s playoff hopes took a major hit in August when Braxton Miller injured his shoulder, knocking him out for the season and forcing redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett into the starting spot. Barrett threw three interceptions and was sacked seven times Sept. 6 in a 35-21 loss to Virginia Tech. He improved the next week, throwing six touchdown passes in a 66-0 rout of Kent State.

Concussion issues ended former Texas quarterback David Ash’s career prematurely, prompting the Longhorns (1-2) to start Tyrone Swoopes in their last two games.

Arizona State is the latest contender to rest its hopes on a backup for at least a week.

The Sun Devils are 3-0 for the first time since 2007, but must play their next game without Kelly, a third-year starter who injured his right foot in a Sept. 13 victory over Colorado. That leaves the Sun Devils relying on Bercovici, a junior with 24 career pass attempts.

“If this happened to any other team I’ve had, it would be devastating,” Graham said. “Obviously, Taylor (getting hurt) is not a good thing for sure, but to have a guy of Mike’s caliber and leadership ability and intangibles — who’s prepared every week like he’s the starting quarterback — it’s something that gives me a lot of confidence he can get it done.”

Graham believes it’s important to have a quality backup because the style of play makes quarterbacks more susceptible to injury.

“It’s harder to stay healthy nowadays because of the physicality of the game and because of how the schemes have directed more toward quarterbacks being able to extend plays,” Graham said.

Most recent national champions haven’t had to use their backup quarterbacks much at all. LSU in 2007 was the last team that didn’t have its first-team quarterback start every game. Ryan Perrilloux made two starts, including stepping in for injured Matt Flynn in an SEC championship game victory over Tennessee.

But it isn’t all that uncommon for a national championship contender to rely on a backup at some point in the season.

Brook Berringer started seven games for Nebraska’s 1994 championship team because Tommie Frazier had blood clots in his right leg. After projected Notre Dame starter Ron Powlus broke his collarbone before the 1993 season, Kevin McDougal took over and led the Irish to a final No. 2 ranking. Colorado earned a share of the 1990 national title after Charles Johnson replaced injured Darian Hagan during an Orange Bowl victory over Notre Dame.

A notable year for backup quarterbacks was 1985, when freshman Jamelle Holieway took over for injured Troy Aikman early in the season and led Oklahoma to a national championship. That same year, injury sidelined Tony Robinson at midseason and Tennessee turned to Daryl Dickey, who helped the Volunteers win the Sugar Bowl and earn a No. 4 ranking to close the season.

“Protect the football and protect the team and good things will happen,” said Dickey, now the athletic director at Division II school West Georgia. “That was kind of my mantra. I wasn’t a great talent, but I was a very good player because I stayed within myself. I used my team and relied on them to make plays, and I took coaching very well.”

Almost three decades later, that message still rings true for more and more backup quarterbacks pressed into duty.

____

AP Sports Writers John Marshall in Phoenix and Rusty Miller in Columbus, Ohio, 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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