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Titans loaded up with Pro Bowl options at returner

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Pro Football Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Finding someone to handle kickoffs and punt returns proved quite the adventure in 2013 for Tennessee. Deciding which former Pro Bowl returner handles the job will be the biggest challenge for the Titans this season.

Leon Washington, a two-time Pro Bowler, is competing with Dexter McCluster, a Pro Bowl punt returner himself last season, and Marc Mariani, a Pro Bowler as a rookie.

“At the end of the day, all of those guys are hard workers,” special teams coach Nate Kaczor said. “They’re quality people, and they’ve all been very successful. We just root for them on special teams to hope they find a place on the roster.”

It’s a big difference from last season when Mariani got hurt in the preseason and placed on injured reserve, starting an avalanche of miscues and mistakes. The season opened with a safety on the first kickoff return with a muffed punt later costing Darius Reynaud his job. Another returner bobbled a punt that he recovered and was cut, while a third player was hurt after taking over.

That’s when the Titans brought in Washington, and he immediately settled the position down. He just missed a touchdown with a 95-yard kickoff return last December in Denver in his second game with the team. Kaczor compared Washington’s performance to a “really good first date.”

“Our blockers had been blocking pretty good,” Kaczor said. “They all knew the second he walked in the building, ‘Hey, that’s Leon Washington.’ Sometimes that adds a little bit of extra and away we went, and Leon did a really good job for us.”

Kaczor also knows McCluster well following his career since the coach worked him out coming out of Mississippi, including last season when the Titans played the Chiefs. Kaczor also watched Mariani’s standout rookie season when he coached special teams in Jacksonville.

Washington said it’s easy to respect what each has done in the past.

“But this is a new year, It’s a new time,” Washington said. “The Tennessee Titans need great returners now, so we welcome that. We welcome the competition, and it’s a great thing. We’re all trying to make each other better.”

Washington went to the Pro Bowl in 2008 and 2012. With the Titans last season, he averaged 30.1 yards on kickoff returns and 13 yards on punt returns. McCluster returned two punts for touchdowns last year in Kansas City where he averaged 11.8 yards per return. Both also are working at running back, another crowded position with Shonn Greene and Bishop Sankey.

Mariani, who has missed the past two seasons because of injuries, also is a receiver in a group where Kendall Wright, Justin Hunter and Nate Washington already are the top three. Mariani also brings versatility because he scored TDs off a punt and kickoff return as a rookie in 2010, averaging 11.2 yards per punt return and 24.8 yards on kickoff returns.

“When I was given the opportunity to come back here and when I signed as a free agent this year, I knew the numbers,” Mariani said. “It was not a secret. I came back to compete. I came back to prove to everyone that I can play receiver and that I can return the ball like the past and that I am healthy.”

McCluster sees the Titans having a great rotation right now with all three of them, with each doing the job in his own style.

“It’s going to be fun to feed off of each other and see which route coach (Ken Whisenhunt) goes with this,” McCluster said.

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Online:

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

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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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