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Trio of Broncos bounce back after missing 2013

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Three Amigos in Denver Broncos lore were all wide receivers: Vance Johnson, Mark Jackson and Ricky Nattiel.

The modern version consists of safety Quinton Carter, defensive end Quanterus Smith and linebacker Lerentee McCray.

This eclectic trio became fast friends after going on injured reserve last August, the vanguard of an injury epidemic that would sideline five defensive starters by the Super Bowl.

All are back and making strong early impressions at training camp, just as they’d envisioned during those arduous days of rehab together.

“Man, it’s a great feeling, especially to see those two guys,” Carter said. “Lerentee’s been making a ton of plays. Quanterus is doing great. And last year if you were in the weight room with us, it would have been comedy because literally every little thing we were being competitive. Especially with not being able to be out there with the guys, we were just super competitive in the weight room and then talked about how we can’t wait to get back out there. And then here we are right now.”

Carter missed most of the last two seasons after getting hurt inside the team’s practice bubble during a rainstorm in 2012, blowing out a hamstring and a knee while avoiding a soccer goal after defending a deep pass. After starting 10 games as a rookie in 2011 and intercepting Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady in the playoffs, Carter needed microfracture surgery. He wasn’t ready to go last season, so the Broncos placed him on injured reserve Aug. 27.

Four days later, he was joined by Smith and McCray, casualties of the final cut-down.

Smith, a fifth-round draft pick out of Western Kentucky, flashed speed and nifty moves, but as camp wore on, it became apparent his surgically repaired left knee wasn’t quite ready.

McCray, who went undrafted out of Florida over medical concerns, was a lock to make the 53-man roster, but that changed when he sprained an ankle in the fourth quarter of the last preseason game.

All three are making up for lost time this summer.

Smith stepped up with the first-team defense this week when DeMarcus Ware was sidelined with a bruised right leg and had an impressive sack. McCray has shown up over and over with big stops.

Cutting sharply and running smoothly, Carter has been getting snaps at strong safety with the first-string nickel packages after seeing plenty of action in the base defense during offseason workouts when newcomer T.J. Ward was limited by a tight hamstring.

“It’s relieving knowing that you have guys like that who know the playbook and are ready to go,” Von Miller said.

With most of training camp closed to the public because of a construction project at their training complex, the Broncos were excited to play in front of fans at their stadium Sunday — and none more so than this new version of the Three Amigos.

“It’s back to leaving the dream, you know?” said Carter, whose versatility is coveted by defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.

“I definitely feel like I’m a big part of the defense and a playmaker on defense, whether I’m playing free safety or strong safety,” Carter said. “I can interchange and I feel like that’s kind of where my strong point on the team, I can play in the box or play back.”

During their season of rehab together, Carter, Smith and McCray envisioned making an impact together in 2014.

“We talked about coming out here this season and doing our thing,” said Smith, who is flashing the speed and skills similar to what he showed on that three-sack day at Alabama that first put him on the NFL radar back in 2012. He was leading the nation with 12 1/2 sacks when he tore a ligament in his left knee two months later.

Like Carter, Smith said he doesn’t even think about his rebuilt knee anymore.

“It feels good,” he said.

It shows.

Del Rio said Smith is “clearly light years ahead of where he was last year.”

So is McCray, who has capitalized on his work with the starters this offseason while Miller rehabs from ACL surgery.

“It’s just a great feeling because all last year, all 19 games we talked like, ‘I wish I was out there,’ and we just had to sit back and watch,” McCray said. “And now the opportunity is finally here to go back and do what we love and what we all talked about doing last year.”

___

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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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