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Bercovici taking over for No. 15 Sun Devils

By WTOP Staff

JOHN MARSHALL
AP College Football Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Mike Bercovici has been waiting for his opportunity three years now, since the day Taylor Kelly nudged him out as Arizona State’s starting quarterback.

He initially considered leaving, but stuck it out despite spending most of his time on the sideline, watching instead of playing.

The patience paid off.

With Kelly out at least one game with a foot injury — maybe more — Bercovici finally gets his chance to lead the 15th-ranked Sun Devils.

“I’ve been ready for this for a long time,” Bercovici said. “I really do put the pressure and the constraint on myself that this is an opportunity I owe to my teammates. If I wasn’t ready right now, it would be pretty obvious to the guys at practice. I think the guys felt confidence in me after this practice knowing there’s no drop-off.”

Kelly has been Arizona State’s starter since winning a tight battle with Bercovici and Michael Eubank in 2012. He’s been one of the best quarterbacks in program history, leading the Sun Devils to a pair of bowl games while dotting his name across the school record book.

But now Kelly is out. He hurt his right foot against Colorado on Saturday and left the stadium on crutches and wearing a protective boot.

Kelly will not play in the Sept. 25 game against No. 12 UCLA. Beyond that is a bit of a mystery; coach Todd Graham said he won’t address Kelly’s injury until after the next game.

Now it’s Bercovici’s turn and the Sun Devils aren’t expecting any kind of drop-off.

“I’ve got all the confidence in the world,” Graham said. “Mike has a lot of things that he adds to the offense from a skill standpoint. The key is that we adapt what we’re doing to him.”

Bercovici’s best attribute is his strong arm. It also has gotten him into trouble at times, leading to interceptions when he tries to force balls into tight spaces.

Experience also could be an issue.

The junior has thrown a total of 24 passes, most of those in mop-up duty, including 17 this season. He was 2 for 4 for eight yards after Kelly was injured against Colorado last week.

Despite being mostly a practice player, Bercovici has worked as though he was the starter, conscientiously going through the game plans, sharpening his skills as he went along, waiting for his opportunity.

“Since I’ve been here I’ve done everything I can to prepare myself to run this offense,” Bercovici said. “All I need to do is my job. The quarterback runs this offense as in every offense, but this one more. If I make my right decisions, we’re just going to keep moving the ball.”

Arizona State had no trouble moving the ball with Kelly under center.

The Sun Devils have been one of the nation’s top scoring teams and offensive producers the past three seasons. Through three games this season, Arizona State is tied for 10th nationally with 47 points per game and is 19th in total offense at 539 yards.

Whether Bercovici can keep that going is clearly up in the air, particularly since the Sun Devils will take a big step up in competition against the Bruins.

The good news for Bercovici and the Sun Devils is they’ll have extra time to prepare. Arizona State has a bye this week, giving Bercovici 11 days to get ready for his big shot.

“He’s prepared for this moment,” Arizona State offensive coordinator Mike Norvell said. “I’m excited about it because I know that I have a guy that has not wasted opportunities the last two years. He’s worked to get better each and every day for this opportunity should it ever present itself, and now it has on a grand stage.”

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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