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49ers’ Ian Williams taking steps toward return

By WTOP Staff

RICK EYMER
Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — After three years and six NFL games, San Francisco nose tackle Ian Williams finally got his first pro start.

It lasted less than a half.

Williams earned the start on the road against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 last year, the culmination of a training camp competition with veteran Glenn Dorsey.

During the defense’s second series, Williams sustained a fractured left ankle, the result of a cut block from Seahawks right guard J.R. Sweezy that ended his season just as it was getting started.

The 49ers activated Williams from the active/physically unable to perform list on Tuesday and he returned to limited practice duties.

“It’s been a long time. I’ve missed being here,” Williams said Wednesday. “I’m excited about being back with the guys.”

Williams, who was undrafted out of Notre Dame, will be looking to regain his stature with the 49ers, though he knows he will have to remain patient through the process.

“Early in the recovery I had some doubts,” he said. “It takes time to get that out of the way. The training staff has put me through rigorous workouts and I know I still need to work myself back up.”

San Francisco defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said there’s no reason to rush him.

“He’ll go through some individual drills and then we’ll see how it goes,” Fangio said. “If it’s good, he’ll continue to do more. If not, we can back off. The last look we got at Ian was Game 2. He hasn’t taken a lot of regular season snaps, but last preseason he was playing well. We’ll see how much he’s back to that form.”

His presence comes a few days after the 49ers allowed the Baltimore Ravens to rush for 237 yards in their preseason opener. That was without All-Pro defensive tackle Justin Smith and some of the other regulars who played sparingly.

Dorsey, who replaced Williams last year, is out indefinitely with a torn biceps. Until Williams returns to the rotation, the 49ers will rely on Smith, Ray McDonald and second-years players Quinton Dial and Tank Carradine.

“The biggest priority is to prepare the team for the regular season,” Fangio said. “Everyone is getting a lot of reps. Guys have to be ready to play.”

Williams said his biggest challenge is to get over the mental hurdle.

“Running around, making cuts, playing football, that’s the easy part,” Williams said. “As long as I feel good I’m going to push myself to see how far I can go. I know I can do more.”

Rookie linebacker Aaron Lynch, who has been cleared to practice since Aug. 3, has been taking visual cues from guys such as Patrick Willis and Aldon Smith as he looks to make a smooth transition from defensive end to outside linebacker.

“When you watch the best, how they play, how they practice, I mimic them,” Lynch said. “They practice the way they play. I came here to fit in. What do you want me to do? I’ll do it.”

NOTES: CB Tramaine Brock (sprained ankle) will miss Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos. Fangio hopes he’ll be able to return to practice next week. “It seems like he’s been out two weeks,” Fangio said. … Veteran CBs Chris Cook and Chris Culliver (knee) have been banged up and are being held back as a precautionary measure. “In the long run they will be fine,” Fangio said. … The 49ers signed LB Kion Wilson, who has played with the San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s appeared in 15 NFL games and started twice with the Steelers last year. … The 49ers placed LB Blake Costanzo on injured reserve to make room for Wilson.

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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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