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QB Ryan takes teaching role for Falcons offense

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Matt Ryan is expanding his leadership role to include teaching young players and other newcomers in his seventh training camp with the Falcons.

Tight end Tony Gonzalez has retired, receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White missed most of the offseason work and Ryan is adjusting to two new starters on his offensive line.

Jones and White are back for training camp, but still Ryan is throwing to some new receivers, including Devin Hester, who was signed from the Bears. Ryan also is helping second-year tight end Levine Toilolo adjust to his new starting role.

Ryan has helped the newcomers learn the offense as the Falcons try to rebound from their first losing season with the quarterback.

“I think back to basics in teaching was huge this offseason,” Ryan said after Tuesday’s practice. “It was a lot of new guys in there and young guys in there and so it was back to basics. I think that’s been good for us. Work on our craft and make sure those guys understand what we are at our core.”

Coach Mike Smith said it is an ongoing evolution of Ryan’s leadership role that began in his 2008 rookie season.

“Matt has been a leader of our team really since day one,” Smith said. “He identifies things he feels will make us a better football team, and he believes and I believe he needs to have a voice in what we’re doing offensively. That voice is to make sure everybody is on the same page with what we’re trying to do.

“He’s done a very good job throughout the entire offseason working with the team.”

Ryan’s offense took a hit, at least for one day, when running back Steven Jackson was held out of Tuesday’s practice after suffering a right hamstring injury on Monday.

“We don’t think it’s going to be real significant,” Smith said. “He will be ready for the first game.”

Jackson missed four games with a left hamstring injury last season.

Jacquizz Rodgers worked at running back with the first-team offense.

Ryan said Toilolo has gained strength since his 2013 rookie season, but will need help following the retirement of Tony Gonzalez.

“I don’t think it’s one guy replacing what Tony did,” Ryan said. “Certainly he had a unique skill set really in the history of the NFL.

“I think we’ll have a combination of guys fill in for the skill set he had and certainly schematically you’ve got to change some of the things that you do because some of the things Tony was good at don’t necessarily fit in with some of the guys that we have.”

Smith said rookie first-round pick Jake Matthews “is still on a fast track” to be the starting right tackle.

“He’s got great balance and when he does get out of position he’s able to recover,” Smith said. “We’ve had two padded practices that were very good in terms of his pass protection and run blocking.”

Ryan said Matthews “has done it the way a rookie should do it” and has “kept his mouth shut.”

That changed when the rookie was asked to sing in front of the team on Monday night.

“He was pretty good,” Ryan said. “I was impressed. Probably the thing that impressed me the most in the first week is his ability to sing. He’s not scared to get up there and a little bit of his personality shone through.”

NOTES: Smith said he had no update on LB Pat Angerer, who left the field with an undisclosed injury and did not return. Angerer signed with Atlanta on July 22 as a free agent from the Colts. He finished last season on injured reserve with a knee injury. He made only three starts in 2012 because of a foot injury. … The team will be off on Wednesday following its second straight practice in full pads.

___

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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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