Skip to main content

Arians praises intensity at Cardinals minicamp

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Coach Bruce Arians wrapped the Arizona Cardinals’ minicamp with a brief workout on Thursday, then gave a good review to what he saw over the three days of practice and team meetings.

“I was really pleased that the intensity rose to the occasion,” he said. “You could real feel the difference between an OTA and minicamp. The intensity of flying around, the attention to detail was much greater. It was less of a learning experience and more competitive, which you really want to see as a coach.”

A year ago, quarterback Carson Palmer and the rest of the offense were trying to learn Arians’ sophisticated system.

This year, the returnees know what they’re doing.

“You’re talking fine-tuning now,” Arians said, although he said rookies were making too many mistakes.

Despite the loss of some important players from last season, particularly inside linebackers Daryl Washington and Karlos Dansby, the players are full of optimism after going 10-6 in Arians’ first year, just missing the playoffs.

“The standard was set from last season,” said guard Jonathan Cooper, who is working his way back from a broken leg that caused him to miss all of his rookie campaign a year ago. “I feel like we can do some big things, as long as we’re on the same page and, like B.A. says, Cardinals beating Cardinals. As long as we’re not making silly penalties I think the guys feel like we have a great chance this season.”

Tight end Rob Housler said the Cardinals “are ready to get this thing rolling.”

“There’s a lot of excitement on my end and just in the buzz in the locker room,” he said. “It’s because we’re not feeling each other out. This time last year we were feeling each other out. There’s no hesitation right now. It’s 100 mph on the defensive end, offensive end, and you can really sense the urge to compete come training camp.”

Like Arians, Palmer talked about the attitude of the players around him.

“It’s really easy to kind of be stagnant and kind of be status quo this time of year,” Palmer said on Wednesday, “but we’ve gotten better every day.”

The Cardinals relied on a strong defense that might take a step back with the loss of Washington, who was suspended for a year for violating the NFL substance abuse policy, and Dansby, the team’s leading tackler who left for Cleveland as a free agent. But Palmer believes the offense will take a big step forward and ease some pressure off the defense, which still is loaded with good players.

“I’m extremely happy where we are,” Palmer said. “We have a long way to go but I couldn’t be happier to see the growth from the film we watched in the offseason of us playing games and to see where we are now.”

Now the Cardinals are off until training camp begins in Glendale in late July.

Going into training camp, there is intense competition for three spots on the offensive line — tight end, right tackle and right guard.

One of the tight ends, second-round pick Troy Niklas, broke his right hand in a freak accident, getting it tangled with his jersey, but is expected to be ready once training camp begins.

Housler said he welcomes the competition and is trying to help out the new players as they try to grasp Arians’ system.

“It’s my second minicamp with Bruce,” Housler said, “and it definitely felt like my second minicamp with Bruce because I felt a lot more familiar with the system and being able to play fast. That’s what I’m going to take away from this minicamp.”

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org

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