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Patriots backup QBs need plenty of improvement

By WTOP Staff

HOWARD ULMAN
AP Sports Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady watched his backups get plenty of playing time in the New England Patriots exhibition opener.

The conclusion was clear: Brady better stay healthy.

Ryan Mallett struggled in Thursday night’s 23-6 loss to the Washington Redskins in his fourth straight year as Brady’s understudy.

Jimmy Garoppolo had some impressive throws, but is a rookie second-round draft choice and has a lot to learn.

“Particularly with young players, just because they make a mistake, doesn’t necessarily mean that those mistakes will continue and are always going to be there,” coach Bill Belichick said Friday. “I think we’ve seen that with pretty much every young player, including him.

“I think there were some things he did well last night. I think there were some other things that he learned from.”

Garoppolo played the entire second half on offense, completing 9 of 13 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown. Mallett played the first half and was just 5 for 12 for 55 yards. Brady watched it all from the sideline.

“I feel good,” Mallett said. “I feel comfortable. Everything slowed down. (I) went through my reads. There were throws I could have made better, but I felt all right.”

When the Patriots drafted Garoppolo from Eastern Illinois, speculation grew that Mallett might be trade bait. But he said after the game that he wasn’t auditioning for another team.

“I’m playing for the Patriots,” he said. “I’m playing for my team.”

Brady’s previous backup, Brian Hoyer, threw just 43 passes from 2009-11 with the Patriots and is competing with Johnny Manziel for the starting spot with the Cleveland Browns.

Before that, Matt Cassel threw 39 passes for the Patriots from 2005-07 then nearly took them to the playoffs the following season after Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opener.

Garoppolo is the latest contender for the No. 2 job and must adjust to a new game speed.

“It was definitely fast, faster than college, that’s for sure,” he said. “It’s something that you just have to adapt to, though. You have to adapt quickly in this environment, and we’re doing a good job of that I think.”

Mallett has been better than Garoppolo throughout training camp and both have three more preseason games.

“I did all right,” Garoppolo said. “There’s a lot of stuff to improve on. It’s a process for any quarterback. There’s lots to learn from.”

A less-heralded youngster had a solid performance.

Wide receiver Brian Tyms signed with the Patriots on July 27 after being released by the Browns. He caught two passes for them in seven games last season. He had already been cut by the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2012.

On Thursday night, he led the Patriots with five catches for 119 yards, including a 26-yarder for a touchdown.

“Brian ran a great route,” Garoppolo said. “The line gave me plenty of time. I don’t think anyone was even near me.”

Barring injury, the Patriots probably have one vacancy at wide receiver. At 6-feet-3 and 204 pounds, Tyms has the size the Patriots lack at that position.

“I feel like I’ve got a good connection with everybody. That’s really all I came here to do was earn respect from my teammates and my coaches,” Tyms said. “If I sit out there and drop every one, everybody (is) going to look at me like I just came here for nothing. So I’ve got a lot to prove.”

The game followed three days of joint practices at Washington’s training camp facility in Richmond, Virginia.

The Patriots will host joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday and Wednesday before the teams meet in a preseason game Friday night.

“We have a little bit of time between now and Tuesday to catch up on some things,” Belichick said. “It’s a big week, big opportunity for our team, for each of us individually to improve.”

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://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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