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Austin eager for fresh start with Browns

By WTOP Staff

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Not too long ago, Miles Austin was on his way to becoming one of the elite wide receivers in the NFL.

But nagging hamstring injuries got in the way, and the two-time Pro Bowler was released by the Dallas Cowboys after last season.

He has a fresh start with the Browns, though. And through the first four days of camp, he’s making the most of it.

“Paths happen in life, things happen. You’ve gotta overcome adversity,” Austin said. “It doesn’t matter if you stumble as long as you get back up. Until I’m 60 I’m going to be trying to continue to move in a positive direction.”

In his breakout 2009 season, Austin caught 81 passes for 1,320 yards, third-most in the NFL. His 11 touchdowns were tied for fourth that season. He followed that performance in 2010 with 69 catches for 1,041 yards and seven touchdowns while starting all 16 games.

Austin quickly became quarterback Tony Romo’s go-to option and even managed to score seven touchdowns in 2011 in just 10 games, as the hamstring injuries began to take their toll.

Coming into the league as an undrafted free agent, he’s always had the mentality to give everything — every game, every practice — his all. And regardless of his past, he’ll be fighting as hard as anybody on the field.

“I’m a competitive person, I’m laid-back but highly competitive,” Austin said. “So I’m going to go out there and try to win. If it’s a scrappy-type practice, I’m going to get scrappy.”

It also helps that Austin has come into camp the healthiest he’s felt in a while.

“I feel good physically, which is a positive thing. I think it’s the most important thing regardless of what the actual results are for me,” Austin said. “I just want to continue to get more and more reps, more and more plays, know the offense more and more, and just continue to work on my technique.”

Aside from hydrating as much as he can and altering his pre- and post-workout routine, Austin is sure he’s the same player he’s always been. And he won’t be changing anything that helped him become the 10th undrafted free agent in NFL history to earn two 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

“You run the play that’s called. I’m not going to change or anything like that,” Austin said.

His fellow wide receivers are noticing the work ethic.

“Miles is the man,” Nate Burleson said. “He came out here the last couple of days and shown why he was so good in Dallas. He wants to prove that he can stay healthy and make plays.”

That means he’d be willing to play whatever role the Browns need him in, especially as the team awaits the potential suspension of wide receiver Josh Gordon.

“I felt like sometimes I was in the slot a lot more often the last couple of years in Dallas,” Austin said. “Whatever is asked of me I’m going to go out there and try to make the best of it.”

The issue with his hamstrings will always be lingering; they have been too persistent in his career to ignore. But for now, Austin feels good and is making his presence known early in Browns training camp.

Still playing the game like an undrafted free agent eager to prove his worth, Austin doesn’t consider himself a victim of bad luck.

In fact, it’s just the opposite. He’s just glad to get another chance to play the game.

“I don’t know how much I believe in luck,” Austin said. “If I did believe strongly in luck, I’d feel like I was pretty lucky.”

NOTES: Practice was physical, as a number of skirmishes broke out between the offense and defense. “You don’t want one side of the ball to get bullied by the other. There has to be some pushback,” coach Mike Pettine said. …. Pettine ended practice with a drill in which the offense had to gain 20 yards against the defense. In a best-of-five format, the side that prevailed won the right to wear orange jerseys Thursday. The defense won the day, stopping the offense on three of its first four tries. … Veteran LB Karlos Dansby sat out practice Tuesday. … TE Gary Barnidge returned to practice after failing the team’s conditioning tests. … Newly acquired WR Marlon Moore wore No. 15.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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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