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Chiefs’ Kelce finally shows glimpse of potential

By WTOP Staff

DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — As tight end Travis Kelce walked down the hill and onto the practice fields at Missouri Western, the crowd that turned up at sunrise for Saturday’s practice gave him a round of applause.

After spending all of last season on injured reserve and dealing with a knee injury that many though could jeopardize his playing career, Kelce finally showed a glimpse of his potential in the Chiefs’ preseason opener. The athletic Kelce got loose over the middle, hauled in a pass and then out-ran the entire Bengals secondary on what turned into a 69-yard touchdown reception.

It was exactly the kind of play the Chiefs envisioned Kelce making when he was chosen in the third round out of Cincinnati. And it was why the fans Saturday were cheering him on.

“I think everyone is extremely happy for Travis. The guy’s been through a lot,” quarterback Alex Smith said. “It’s been a long time since he’s seen some action, but everyone can verify, the guy never leaves the facility.

“This offseason, OTAs, training camp, he’s been there rehabbing, putting in extensive hours trying to get healthy, and it was a good step to see him out there in preseason.”

Tight ends figure prominently in coach Andy Reid’s spread offense, just as they do throughout the league these days. Their ability to stretch the field helps take pressure off wide receivers such as Dwayne Bowe, and it loosens up defenses for running back Jamaal Charles.

The problem is that while starting tight end Anthony Fasano is dependable, he’s also better at run blocking than receiving. So when Kelce hurt his knee last season and required microfracture surgery, it deprived the Chiefs of their best down-field option off the line of scrimmage.

“With Travis being back, and the emergence of Demetrius Harris and Richard Gordon is in the mix, these guys are athletic and they compete,” offensive coordinator Doug Pederson said, “and they give us that explosiveness at the tight end position. They allow us to do more two- and three-tight end sets on the field, so we’re excited to see what comes out.”

Kelce certainly arrived in Kansas City with a pass-catching pedigree. He caught 45 passes for more than 700 yards and eight touchdowns his senior season with the Bearcats. And that production sent him climbing up draft boards, even though he carried along some character questions — he was suspended his entire sophomore season for a violation of team rules.

He insisted on draft night that those issues were in the past, and so far Kelce has been a model teammate. When he could have sulked about his injury, he instead redoubled his efforts to get back on the field. When the Chiefs were headed to the playoffs without him, Kelce became their biggest cheerleader, enjoying the ride the best that he could.

Of course, nothing can replace being in the thick of the action.

“It was the worst,” Kelce said Thursday night. “Just knowing that I finally made it to where I wanted to be in life and still not be able to get out there, it hurt pretty bad. But last year is last year and I’m focused on this year.”

He got off to a good start against Cincinnati. Kelce finished with a pair of catches in limited time, and never showed any signs of the injury that derailed him last season.

“He showed a little speed at the end, I mean, heck, he was pulling away from secondary players,” Reid said. “That wasn’t just a linebacker. I was impressed with that. He did some in-line blocking, some line-of-scrimmage blocking, which I thought he did a good job of.”

Notes: LB Dezman Moses was waived and LB Devan Walker signed. … WRs Junior Hemingway and Mark Harrison (hamstrings) and DE Mike Catapano (illness) returned to practice Saturday. DT Mike Devito (left hand) remained out, and WR Donnie Avery was excused for personal reasons.

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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