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Rookie OT Jake Matthews impresses Smith

By WTOP Staff

GEORGE HENRY
Associated Press

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Jake Matthews’ first live NFL action gives Atlanta coach Mike Smith reason to think the No. 6 overall draft pick has potential to become an elite player.

Matthews, the team’s starting right tackle, graded out well following his professional debut as the Falcons beat Miami 16-10 in the exhibition opener for both teams.

After watching the film, Smith praised the rookie, who had a couple of penalties but mostly held his own in 24 snaps — several of them against former All-Pro defensive end Cameron Wake.

Smith said Saturday that Matthews, whose father Bruce played tackle and is a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, “is on a fast track to be a great player in this league.”

Matthews acknowledged being nervous, but was generally pleased with his performance, particularly in helping quarterback Matt Ryan direct a 15-play, 77-yard opening touchdown.

He held up Wake long enough for Ryan and Roddy White to connect for a 12-yard completion on third-and-eight from the Miami 40.

“I had pretty good protection,” Matthews said. “We had a good first drive that led to a touchdown. I just held my spot on the line. Honestly, that is what we needed on the first drive. I thought we picked up blitzes also. You know, pretty good overall.”

Left tackle Sam Baker, a starter for the Falcons since his rookie season in 2008, believes the offensive line showed flashes of promise.

That was hardly the case last year. Atlanta’s maligned front was a primary reason the team struggled to a 4-12 record as Ryan was sacked a career-high 44 times and the running game finished as the league’s worst.

“I thought we communicated well,” Baker said. “We played with good tempo. Guys were getting down the field and doing a lot of the things we’ve been talking about all offseason.”

Matthews, who starred at Texas A&M and returns to his home state next week when the Falcons visit Houston, was disappointed that his second-quarter holding penalty wiped out a 76-yard touchdown run by Antone Smith.

The play unfolded from Matthews’ side of the line. His flag was one of nine thrown against Atlanta for minus-82 yards.

“We have to play smarter in terms of the penalties,” Smith said. “We can’t have these types of numbers as we go through the season, but I did like the effort and the attitude that the guys approached the game with.”

Ryan, who was pressured an NFL-high 203 times last season, liked what he saw from Matthews.

“Being his first time out there,” Ryan said, “I thought Jake did a really nice job for us.”

Notes: White did not practice and stayed inside team headquarters during the 1 hour, 45-minute session for a scheduled day off. Smith said he will be back on the field Monday. … WR Julio Jones, who missed the final 11 games last year with a broken foot and was held out of the exhibition game, made a few impressive plays in practice, including a red zone TD catch over the middle. … FS Dwight Lowery and reserve LB Pat Angerer returned to the field after sitting out the last few days in the NFL concussion protocol. Smith said both are scheduled to participate when the team practices in full pads Monday.

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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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