Skip to main content

Brissett has Wolfpack putting up big numbers

By WTOP Staff

AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren waited a year to get Florida transfer Jacoby Brissett into his lineup. It didn’t take the quarterback nearly so long to completely change the Wolfpack’s offense.

Brissett leads the Atlantic Coast Conference with 13 touchdown passes against just one interception. He has also stabilized a position plagued by injuries and poor play a year ago, helping the Wolfpack steadily build confidence heading into Saturday’s game at Clemson.

“I can’t say enough about the effort he’s given and how hard he’s playing,” Doeren said. “He’s putting it all out there for his teammates.”

Any questions about how much impact Brissett really could have in his first year with the Wolfpack were erased last weekend.

With Brissett trading big plays with Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, North Carolina State (4-1, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) gave top-ranked Florida State fits before falling 56-41.

Brissett finished with 359 yards and three touchdown passes. He also kept several plays alive with his mobility and had a highlight-reel moment in the opening quarter in which he ducked under the grasp of a Seminoles defender in the pocket, then stayed on his feet to pull free from another one trying to drag him to the turf before throwing a short touchdown pass.

Brissett is too busy crediting everyone else around him, from his line to offensive coordinator Matt Canada, to take credit for the Wolfpack’s suddenly strong offense.

“That’s honestly what Coach Canada pushes me to do in practice — it’s just make plays,” Brissett said. “It’s just going out there and trusting the players around you, trusting the offense. Other players on the team have got a job too. You just have to trust that they’re going to do their job in the right situations.”

Last year the Wolfpack bounced between Arkansas graduate transfer Brandon Mitchell and Colorado State transfer Pete Thomas at quarterback. They led an offense that finished the year in the bottom half of the league in scoring (22.8 points) during a three-win season that included the program’s first winless ACC record since 1959.

North Carolina State is second in the league in scoring at 40.4 points while averaging a league-best 505.6 yards — about 100 yards more than a year ago.

Brissett was one of the nation’s top prep quarterbacks when he signed with Florida in 2011. He became the first true freshman in Gators history to take his first college snap as the starter at No. 1 LSU that fall, but he ultimately lost the battle for the starting job to Jeff Driskel and decided to transfer after the 2012 season.

He worked on the scout team last year while sitting out as a transfer.

“I haven’t seen too much of the (current) Florida quarterback,” Tigers defensive coordinator Brent Venables said, “but I can’t imagine he’s better than Jacoby Brissett.”

Brissett hasn’t thrown an interception since the season-opening win against Georgia Southern, a streak of 156 straight passes. He next faces a defense that ranks next-to-last in the ACC in scoring (27.5 points) but sits at fifth in total defense (324.5 yards).

If Brissett can turn in another big day, North Carolina State might earn its first league victory since November 2012.

“In any offense, when you have a confident leader at quarterback, it’s going to trickle down to the players,” freshman receiver Bo Hines said. “We really feel like we can play with anyone and win.”

___

AP Sports Writer Pete Iacobelli in Columbia, South Carolina contributed to this report.

___

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote