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Backup plan: Flynn, Tolzien give Packers QB depth

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — After nearly a decade in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers doesn’t need that many snaps in Packers preseason games.

There’s not really much to prove for a quarterback who seems as sharp as ever in practice.

But backup play is at a premium, especially following a 2013 season during which Rodgers was sidelined for nearly two months with a collarbone injury.

Ten days into training camp, the Packers appear to have two competent candidates for a job that, realistically, few people in Green Bay would like to see either perform on a regular basis.

The first test arrives Saturday when coach Mike McCarthy’s team travels to Tennessee to play the Titans in the preseason opener.

“Every time you step on the field, it’s a huge opportunity, regardless of where you rank or where you are in the depth chart, it does not matter,” quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt said Thursday.

Well, there is one big exception.

“Obviously, Aaron is a little bit different. But after that, guys are going out to compete and compete against the defense, put up their best performance. The chips fall where they may,” Van Pelt said.

The coaching staff hadn’t decided by Thursday morning on how Flynn and Tolzien would split reps Saturday, though there should be plenty to go around. Rodgers doesn’t expect a big workload.

“I don’t want to put anybody out, but I would think it’s going to be light work, as we usually do,” Rodgers said. “The thing about this team, as you can tell, we’re a pretty deep team. We have a lot of athleticism and talent in different areas. One area especially is quarterback.”

Last year in training camp, Vince Young, Graham Harrell and B.J. Coleman were among the candidates to back up Rodgers.

By the first week of September, all three were cut. The Packers signed Seneca Wallace and Tolzien, then added Flynn in November after Rodgers and Wallace got hurt. Flynn went 2-2 in four late-season games in 2013, helping to settle a Packers offense struggling without offense.

Wallace is now gone. But the offense appears to have benefited from having a full offseason of Flynn and Tolzien back in the system.

Flynn also has the benefit of having been somewhat familiar with the Packers already after having been drafted by Green Bay in 2008 before returning as a free agent.

Flynn is listed ahead of Tolzien on the unofficial team depth chart, though the order seems to be far from being permanently set.

“I’ve got to prove that I can still get the job done,” Flynn said. “I’ve got to prove that I deserve to be on this team.”

Still, offensive coordinator Tom Clements calls the process of getting the offense up to speed this preseason a “much smoother operation” with more experience behind Rodgers at quarterback.

The backups, perhaps even more than Rodgers, are tasked with getting younger players with whom they may be playing with on the second and third teams up to speed.

Tolzien has showed potential with his arm strength, and he performed admirably in two starts last season for someone thrown relatively quickly into the No. 1 quarterback job with just two months of preparation. According to Van Pelt, things are slowing down for Tolzien, which is a sign of a young player learning to grasp the system.

Also Thursday:

GOING UPSTAIRS: The depth chart also revealed a tweak in game day operations, with Clements going to the press box and Van Pelt staying on the sideline. Van Pelt moved over from coaching running backs to quarterbacks this year to replace Ben McAdoo, now the New York Giants’ offensive coordinator. With the staff change, McCarthy said he preferred the quarterbacks coach to stay on the field.

THUMBS UP: Defensive coordinator Dom Capers likes how linebacker Clay Matthews has looked so far in training camp. One of the game’s top pass rushers when healthy, Matthews missed much of 2013 with a thumb injury that required two surgeries. Saturday would mark the debut of what the Packers hope will be an improved pass rush featuring Matthews and free agent acquisition Julius Peppers.

SITTING OUT: Safety Morgan Burnett is among seven Packers — but the only projected starter — who will not travel to Tennessee. Burnett is recovering from an oblique injury, a week after missing a couple days with an ankle injury. McCarthy hopes Burnett will return next week.

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Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP

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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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