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Romo set to play for 1st time since back surgery

By WTOP Staff

JOSH DUBOW
AP Sports Writer

OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — Tony Romo will play his first game for the Dallas Cowboys since undergoing back surgery for a herniated disk last December.

Romo will start for the Cowboys in Saturday’s exhibition game against the Baltimore Ravens. Romo missed Dallas’ exhibition opener against San Diego as the Cowboys are easing him back into things after his second back surgery in the past two years.

Romo said he gave no thought to skipping the preseason to make sure he stayed healthy, saying the only way to get better at football is to play football. It will be his first chance to play in a game under new play caller Scott Linehan.

“I think you have to play in the preseason,” Romo said. “Obviously, some people can’t, but I do know from my perspective, this game is not something where you can show up and think that you can do it. I think it’s been proven far too many times that if you take too long of a break or don’t get reps under you that you will be exposed in certain areas.”

Coach Jason Garrett said he has no expectations about what he will see from Romo and is just looking forward to seeing him back in a game.

“Just go out and play,” Garrett said. “We ask our players to get prepared for any situations. We try to prepare them as coaches and it’s their job to go play.”

Romo sustained the injury against Washington last Dec. 22 but stayed in and threw a game-winning touchdown pass to keep Dallas’ playoff hopes alive. He had surgery two days before the Cowboys lost to Philadelphia with Kyle Orton at quarterback in a season-ending loss that kept Dallas out of the playoffs.

The surgery in December was the second procedure on Romo’s back in an eight-month span. He had a cyst removed before the start of offseason practices last year and didn’t do any significant work until training camp.

Romo was held out of competitive situations throughout the offseason this year and the Cowboys limited his throws early in training camp. But Romo has looked more like himself in recent days and is ready to play against the Ravens.

“I felt like this was a big week for Tony,” tight end Jason Witten said. “Early in camp they were resting him some and we did not have him every day. I thought he did a really good job going the right places with the ball, good zip on the ball, leading us on the 2-minute drive with the same intensity he always has. I felt like this was a really big week for our team and felt he’s done a really great job setting the tempo for us.”

Romo said he has no worries about how he will react to the first hit on his injured back, saying he got past that after a collision with running back DeMarco Murray a few days ago.

“The second hit is just nothing,” he said. “It will be easy.”

Backup Brandon Weeden played well in Romo’s place in the exhibition loss to San Diego, completing 13 of 17 passes for 107 yards and one touchdown.

But the Cowboys know their hopes for success this season ride on Romo. The 34-year-old is coming off another strong season, having thrown for 3,828 yards and 31 touchdowns in 15 games in 2013. He also nearly cut his interceptions in half, throwing 10 after having 19 passes picked off in 2012.

Even that wasn’t enough to get the Cowboys back to the playoffs for the first time since 2009. Instead, they finished 8-8 for the third straight season.

“Every game that you play you’re not guaranteed anything,” Romo said. “It’s special just to play football. It’s special to get to play for the team I play for. It’s special to get out there and put the helmet on. For me I don’t take that for granted. I know that it’s a great feeling when I do get to go out there.”

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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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