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Saints eager to see what Jenkins can do in Year 2

By WTOP Staff

BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. (AP) — Saints coaches don’t sound too concerned about all the offseason practices second-year nose tackle John Jenkins’ missed while rehabilitating an injured muscle in his chest.

When Jenkins finally made his way back to the practice field on a limited basis last week, he looked leaner and fresher than he has been since entering the NFL.

Because he was still able to use his legs for conditioning work during rehab, he has gotten his weight down to about 347 pounds, 20 pounds less than his weight in his final college season at Georgia. The muscle he injured in the weight room last spring no longer bothers him, and he expects to be taking on double-teams at the line of scrimmage sooner than later.

“I feel good. I mean, do I look good out there? Y’all watching,” the 6-foot-3 Jenkins said with a smile. “Being a big guy and losing more weight, it doesn’t hurt me. It’ll only make me get better.”

As a rookie last season, Jenkins validated the Saints’ decision to select him with an additional third-round draft pick which New Orleans acquired through a trade. He played in every game, helping collapse the pocket while edge pass-rushers Camron Jordan (12 1/2 sacks) and Junior Galette (12 sacks) both had the best seasons of their young careers.

Jenkins even got his first-career sack during a playoff game at Seattle.

“He’s a block eater. He eats up a couple blocks, which frees somebody to go,” defensive line coach Bill Johnson said. “He’s a guy that lines up right. And what really was surprising, he’s a pretty good athlete for a big guy. And another thing that we found that he had a lot more stamina than you think these big guys had.”

Johnson added that while he would have preferred to have Jenkins available to refine his technique during offseason practices, injury setbacks are “part of this business, and we’ll catch up as we move forward.”

While Jenkins does not appear likely to start ahead of either Brodrick Bunkley or Akiem Hicks, he is expected to be part of the regular rotation on the interior of the defensive line.

As a rookie he was credited with 21 tackles, including two for losses. He was also credited with a pair of quarterback hurries but no sacks in the regular season.

While he’d like to improve his statistics, particularly his sack total, he said he understands that his effectiveness us judged less by statistics than by film review, which should show him occupying multiple blockers — and on passing downs moving the pocket — so his teammates get a clean path to the ball carrier or passer.

“My role in this defense is to free the linebackers up, take on as many blocks as I can and crush the pocket,” Jenkins said. “A lot of things I do is taken for granted, people don’t understand the job that I have to do. But at the end of the day, as long as I’m doing what I’m supposed to do and the stats as far as rushing yards and pressure against the quarterback and stuff like that shows up, then I’m happy.”

NOTES: The Saints, who play their second preseason game at home Friday night against Tennessee, held their final practices of the West Virginia portion of training camp on Wednesday. They leave The Greenbrier resort on Thursday and return to their New Orleans headquarters, where they’ll remain for the rest of the season.

___

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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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