Skip to main content

Monroe anchors Flacco’s blind side as Ravens LT

By WTOP Staff

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Eugene Monroe is right where he wants to be: anchoring the left side of the Baltimore Ravens offensive line.

The Ravens hope he stays there a long time, as evidenced by the five-year, $37.5 million contract they gave him in March.

The bar at left tackle is high in Baltimore, given that the team’s first-ever draft pick was tackle Jonathan Ogden, now a member of the Hall of Fame. Since Ogden’s retirement after the 2007 season, however, the Ravens have struggled to find a permanent answer at the position.

Players such as Michael Oher, Jared Gaither and Bryant McKinnie have filled in with underwhelming results. McKinnie’s struggles early last season led the Ravens to trade for Monroe — the first in-season trade in franchise history. The Ravens sent fourth- and fifth-round picks to the Jacksonville Jaguars in October for Monroe, who started the final 11 games of the season for the Ravens.

Monroe, a New Jersey native who played collegiately at Virginia, briefly tested free agency in March but then returned to the team he said “felt like home.”

“I definitely love the organization,” Monroe said after Wednesday’s training camp workout. “I was welcomed like a brother as soon as I got here midseason last year. My family is close. My wife’s family is right here. It was just the perfect situation for me.”

Monroe’s task now is to anchor a Ravens line has a lot of room for improvement after a thoroughly disappointing 2013 season. The Ravens ranked 29th overall in offense last season and last in rushing yards per game (3.1). Joe Flacco was sacked 48 times, the most of his career.

“He’s got a long way to go. It’s not like he’s arrived or anything like that,” coach John Harbaugh said of Monroe. “He’ll be the first to tell you (that), which is what I love about Eugene Monroe. He works every day. He wants to improve, and he’ll be holding down that spot, God willing, for many years to come.”

Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda also returns to the offensive line, but the Ravens are projected to have new starters in former Buccanners center Jeremy Zuttah and second-year tackle Rick Wagner, who played sparingly last season. Kelechi Osemele is also back, but the left guard missed most of last season with a back injury.

The line is learning a new system of new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, who joined the Ravens after the team missed the playoffs for the first time in the six-year Harbaugh era.

NOTE: Rookie defensive linemen Timmy Jernigan and Brent Urban were both injured on the same play during a run drill and did not return. Jernigan, a second-round pick, appeared to suffer a back injury and walked off gingerly under his own power. Urban was carted off the field, and Harbaugh said Urban would undergo a magnetic resonance imaging test on his right knee on Wednesday night.

___

Online:

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
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