When asked about his three courses — personal finance, social stratification and literature — Ryan joked that there was “no ballroom dancing at B.C.”

Two years ago, when the former Southern California quarterback Matt Leinart acknowledged that he took only ballroom dancing during his final college semester, critics and comedians took their shots. Although his choice of academic study did not spawn a dance craze, it did offer college players a lesson in how to two-step through their final semester of college football.

The former North Carolina president William C. Friday said that allowing players to lighten their courseloads later in their careers was another sign that college athletics was spiraling out of control. He said universities were already under enough criticism for lowering their admission standards for athletes.

“I think it’s wrong,” Friday said. “What we’re witnessing in the country is that intercollegiate athletics is becoming an entertainment industry.”

But to some within the athletic world, the lighter load in the final season is viewed as a reward. Dixon graduated with a sociology degree and a 3.4 grade-point average in less than four years. He earned an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship from the National Football Foundation.

He said the additional time out of class this season helped him improve this season. He has transformed from an inconsistent player, who lost his starting job late last season, into one of the country’s top quarterbacks. He threw 20 touchdown passes and only 4 interceptions this season after throwing 12 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions last season.

Image Hawaiis Colt Brennan, who will graduate Dec. 12, is in class about 90 minutes a day. Credit... Jordan Murph for The New York Times

“It helped a lot,” Dixon said. “Just having the extra time with Chip and seeing what he sees in the defenses. It really pays off.”