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Florida’s Muschamp sticks with struggling Driskel

By WTOP Staff

MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — After arguably the worst game of his college career, quarterback Jeff Driskel remains Florida’s starter.

At least for another game.

Coach Will Muschamp said Wednesday he’s sticking with Driskel for next week’s game at Tennessee, saying the fourth-year junior “gives us the best opportunity to win right now.”

“Jeff needs to play better. He understands that,” Muschamp said. “He certainly forced some things that we can’t afford to do.”

Driskel completed 9 of 28 passes for 93 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions, in a 42-21 loss at Alabama on Saturday. He was particularly ineffective on deep passes, misfiring on 14 of 16 throws that went at least 10 yards.

It was the sixth time in his last seven starts that Driskel failed to play turnover-free football. The Gators (2-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) went 4-3 in those games, with Driskel getting the brunt of the blame in all three losses. He has 10 touchdowns (eight passing, two rushing) and 11 turnovers (eight interceptions and three fumbles) in those games.

His pocket presence, decision-making ability and accuracy have become recurring themes in Gainesville, with critics saying he has shown little improvement between 2012 and now.

His performance against the Tide may have been his low point.

Muschamp showed little confidence in Driskel at the end of the first half, opting to run out the final 1:44 despite having three timeouts and trailing by a touchdown.

Former Florida great Emmitt Smith even took to Twitter to vent, saying he’s seen enough of Driskel and it’s time to bench him.

Smith later called Muschamp and Driskel to apologize.

“He was frustrated,” Muschamp said. “He wants us to win. He wants us to be successful. He’s a great Gator. Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. And I appreciate Emmitt calling and saying the things he said, I really do. He’s a class individual, and he’s about all the right things.”

Muschamp said any potential changes would come on the defensive side of the ball.

The secondary gave up numerous big plays against Alabama — and Kentucky the week before, too.

The Gators allowed touchdown passes of 87 and 79 yards in the first quarter to the Tide and 449 passing yards in the game.

“We’re looking at a lot of different guys in different spots,” Muschamp said. “Can’t continue to do the same things. The mistakes we’ve made in some situations back there are inexcusable. It’s on me. We’ll get it fixed. We’re going to work through it. Haven’t been through this before very often, I can tell you that. But extremely frustrating.”

But he’s not ready to make a move at quarterback.

Backup Treon Harris, though, could see playing time against the Volunteers. The freshman from Miami completed both of his passes for touchdowns in the season opener against Eastern Michigan. He connected on scores of 70 and 78 yards, giving him a staggering quarterback efficiency rating of 1051.60.

“He continues to improve and continues to do some nice things,” Muschamp said. “We’d like to have him have some snaps, depending on the situation in the game. … But Jeff gives us the best opportunity to win right now.”

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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