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Clemson’s young quarterback off to fast start

By WTOP Staff

PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Deshaun Watson is more concerned about building on his successful start at Clemson rather than celebrating what he accomplished.

The freshman quarterback passed for a school record six touchdowns and 435 yards passing — the second best total in Tigers’ history — to defeat North Carolina 50-35 last week. He’s been stopped frequently for pictures and congratulations ever since, yet would rather focus on taking the next step forward before Clemson (2-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) plays North Carolina State (4-1, 0-1) Saturday.

“We can do a lot more than what we did” against the Tar Heels, Watson said this week.

That’s hard to fathom for anyone who watched Watson run Clemson’s fast-paced attack. Watson had TD passes of 74, 50, 24, 33 and 33 before ending his barrage with a 5-yard scoring pass in the final period. He completed 27 of 36 throws with one interception.

The performance earned the 19-year-old several national honors, including the Davey O’Brien Award’s national quarterback of the week. He was the ACC’s rookie of the week and shared offensive honors with North Carolina State quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who Watson will square off against at Death Valley this weekend.

More than the arm strength and accuracy was Watson’s poise, something Clemson coach Dabo Swinney found rare in a teenager leading a major college team at its most important position.

“I’ve never been around a freshman like him,” Swinney said Tuesday.

Neither had most of Clemson’s players.

Senior safety Robert Smith recalls when he arrived on campus in summer 2011 before his freshman year, the high-school quarterback watched prep passers at Clemson’s yearly camp and noticed a gangly quarterback who was prepping for his sophomore season at Gainesville High in Georgia.

Smith, a quarterback in high school too, said Watson instantly stood out. “There’s no way,” Smith remembered telling teammates, “this guy’s not going to get offered. I didn’t know who he was. Everything after that is just history.”

Or at least history in the making.

A crack in his collarbone in the spring kept Watson from playing in the Orange-and-White game last April as senior Cole Stoudt was named starting quarterback.

Watson played as backup in a loss at Georgia and a victory over South Carolina State the first two weeks. Watson entered on Clemson’s fourth series at Florida State and stood strong in the face of the Seminoles’ fierce defense.

Swinney kept looking for evidence of freshman errors with Watson and didn’t find that many. Clemson’s seventh-year coach said Watson combines a strong work ethic, talent and an ability to accept coaching that’s unique in young players.

“He’s just a very serious person about what he’s doing,” Swinney said. “Very purposeful. He just has a different presence.”

North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren said preparing for Watson will be similar to the dual threat posed by Clemson’s previous quarterback in Tajh Boyd.

“Tajh was a guy that could throw it down the field and he could run,” Doeren said. “We know what this guy (Watson) was like in high school. He was the no. 1 spread quarterback in the nation coming out. We know he has legs.”

Not everything went perfectly for Watson, Swinney said. Watson had three or four errors where he put the Tigers in a bad spot, the coach said. “There’s also some plays on there you just go, ‘Wow,'” Swinney said. “He just makes us look good.”

Watson is grateful for the praise, just not yet ready to fully embrace it with so much left to achieve. He wants to add about 15 pounds to his 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame so he better handles the hits he’ll take as he runs the football more frequently. While he’s comfortable guiding the offense, Watson understands he’s still gaining the trust of coordinator Chad Morris.

That won’t be an issue if Watson keeps playing like he has so far.

“What I’m most proud of is getting that win, especially my first win as a starter and just keep on continuing to get better every week,” Watson said.

___

AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard contributed to this report from Raleigh, North Carolina

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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