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Florida State’s Fisher emerging as a top QB coach

By WTOP Staff

KAREEM COPELAND
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The foundation of Jimbo Fisher’s coaching philosophy began during rides home with his father after Pop Warner games. His dad would pepper him in the car with a single question: Why?

John Fisher would ask the young quarterback why did he make a certain throw? Why didn’t he make different decisions?

The talks continued through high school, and three decades later Florida State’s Fisher has used those father-son bonding moments to arguably become the pre-eminent quarterback coach in college football.

Fisher has had eight quarterbacks drafted to the NFL since 2001, works with reigning Heisman winner Jamies Winston and two of his former Seminole disciples are expected to start for other major college programs this year.

“There’s one thing I ask them: Why?” Fisher said. “Why’d you do that? Why did you not do that? Why was that successful? Why was that not successful?

“If you can’t know why you did something and why you didn’t, how are you going to repeat it? If you do it well, but you don’t understand why you did it, when the moment comes that you have to repeat it In the game for the championship, you can’t do it because you never understood in the first place.”

Fisher, 48, lists former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden and Alabama coach Nick Saban as major influences, but it was his father who first peppered him with the question, “Why?”

Fisher always played quarterback through college at Salem College and Samford, but was never the most athletic. His father constantly questioned Fisher with the goal being to outthink other players.

The lessons stuck.

Fisher helped turn JaMarcus Russell into the first overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft when he was offensive coordinator at LSU. Former Tiger Matt Flynn is the backup in Green Bay. Former FSU quarterback Christian Ponder was the No. 12 overall pick in 2011. E.J. Manuel was the first quarterback taken in the 2013 draft. Winston is a leading candidate to win his second Heisman trophy. Florida State transfers Clint Trickett and Jacob Coker are likely to start at West Virginia and Alabama, respectively.

Fisher is the only head coach in college football that has had three quarterbacks drafted in the first round since 2007, according to STATS LLC.

“I think a combination of things makes him really, really successful,” said Tommy Bowden, who coached with Fisher at Auburn. “One, he played the position. He’s an overachiever. He’s extremely confident.

“He’s a hard-nosed guy, coming from that coal-mining background with his father. … He doesn’t baby those guys.”

Winston, Manuel and Ponder credit their success to how Fisher trains QBs mentally.

Fisher drills technique and fundamentals, but he holds quarterbacks accountable for everything in the offense.

“He’ll test you in practice just to see how you respond,” Manuel said. “He’ll say things just to get you off your game and see if you can come and battle back because that’s what’s going to happen in a real game.

“Things aren’t always going to go perfect. He wants to see if you have the mental makeup to bounce back.”

The BCS championship victory was one of Fisher’s proudest moments as a coach. Not because it validated his status in college football, but because of Winston’s performance. He struggled in the first half and the Seminoles fell behind 21-3. Winston responded and eventually drove FSU on an 80-yard drive and threw the game-winning touchdown pass with 13 seconds remaining.

The top-ranked Seminoles begin their title defense Saturday against Oklahoma State in Arlington, Texas.

“His practices are so tough,” Winston said of Fisher. “He’s constantly on us. He’s on us the hardest out of everyone. We are accountable for every mistake.”

Part of Fisher’s drive derives from a constant fear of failure. He uses that motivation to be a better coach, recruiter and teacher. He’s never had another job outside of coaching and always yearned to be in charge. Fisher wanted that responsibility regardless of the sport.

“I wanted to be involved in play-calling,” Fisher said. “I think I liked being in charge. I was competitive as a young kid. I wanted to decide that game, not nobody else. Whether we won or we lost.”

Florida State runs a complex, quarterback-driven, pro-style offense designed to have an answer for every defensive coverage. Fisher compares it to math where there’s a formula for each problem.

The quarterback is responsible for knowing where to go with the ball in every situation. The quarterbacks aren’t only expected to regurgitate Fisher’s ideas, but to come up with their own solutions. He gives homework assignments where they are tasked to come up with concepts to counter certain looks.

“I don’t want to teach them everything,” Fisher said. “I think the greatest teacher in the world is yourself. I don’t want them to be robots. I don’t want them to learn it because that’s what I said. I want them to understand it. There’s a difference.”

It has made his QBs attractive to NFL teams.

“He put a lot of things on the quarterback … with checks and everything,” Ponder said. “That helps the team, getting the best look and the best play, and also helps you transition to the NFL game.

“Because especially in the offense now, there are so many checks and so much on the quarterback, I feel like from that offense I was prepared for this.”

___

Associated Press reporter Dave Campbell in Minnesota contributed to this story.

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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