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UNC plans to keep rotating QBs at No. 6 Notre Dame

By WTOP Staff

AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina has one quarterback who is leading the team in rushing, another with less experience and shaky confidence, and an offense that has been inconsistent through the first five games.

And yet, the Tar Heels are sticking with their weekly plan to play both heading into No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday.

“If we were 5-0 right now, it wouldn’t even be a question,” receiver Ryan Switzer said. “Everyone’s a critic when things are going wrong. … So far it’s been the thing that people want to point out: ‘Oh, they shouldn’t be playing two.’

“But honestly — I would let you know — it doesn’t have an effect on any of the guys out there.”

Marquise Williams, a junior, has gotten most of the snaps for the Tar Heels (2-3) and ranks second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in total offense. He has thrown for 1,083 yards and nine touchdowns while rushing for a team-high 243 yards with two scores.

Mitch Trubisky, a redshirt freshman, has entered each game on the third offensive series and played later based on game flow. Coach Larry Fedora has said it’s important to get Trubisky some experience while also utilizing Williams’ run-pass skills, but the Tar Heels — while scoring 36 points per game — have lacked offensive consistency and battled stretches of flat play.

Fedora, however, said the rotation isn’t the culprit.

“Whether people think it’s working or not, we haven’t been successful,” he said. “So you can say that’s the reason we’re not successful. (But) I don’t think that has anything to do with the reason we’re not successful right now.”

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said UNC’s no-huddle offense doesn’t change much depending on which QB is playing.

“Their system is really the same, whether it’s Marquise or Mitch,” Kelly said. “The tempo I think is probably the biggest thing. It’s hard to get your different (substitution) groups into the game so that’s really the biggest challenge moreso than the two quarterbacks.”

Williams has been more effective, if for no other reason than he’s gotten more chances to build a rhythm and play through his mistakes.

He has led the Tar Heels to 16 of their 22 offensive touchdowns, while Trubisky has directed just four of those drives, according to STATS. The two both played on the same series during another TD drive at Clemson on Sept. 27.

Williams was in a similar rotation behind three-year starter Bryn Renner for part of last year. He has said he was concerned about possibly disrupting Renner’s rhythm.

Now he’s in Renner’s position, though he hasn’t complained publicly about it.

“We’re just doing what we need to do,” Williams said. “It shouldn’t affect the offense as a whole because we’ve been throwing with the same guys and the same backfield and the same offensive line and the same tempo. It shouldn’t affect nothing that’s out there.”

It’s been a bit tougher on Trubisky, who has two touchdown passes with three interceptions. He threw a pick-6 in one of his two series in last weekend’s loss to Virginia Tech.

While he said the game experience has helped, he said his confidence has taken a hit because he hasn’t carried his practice work to the game. He also said he has put more pressure on himself knowing that he won’t get many reps if he’s not playing well.

“I haven’t played nearly close to my potential, which is frustrating for me,” Trubisky said. “I’ve just got to find my confidence and hopefully I can put it out there soon. I know what I’m capable of doing and I certainly haven’t shown it yet.”

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Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

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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