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Arian Foster saying little in training camp

By WTOP Staff

CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — Arian Foster isn’t saying much these days.

The Houston Texans star running back gave short, evasive answers to the media on Thursday, only the second time he’s met with reporters at training camp.

Foster said just slightly more than he did on July 30, when he responded to every question by repeating that he just wanted to be the best teammate he could be.

Foster returned to practice on Wednesday after nursing a hamstring injury through the first two weeks of training camp.

He left early in Thursday’s joint practice with the Atlanta Falcons, went to the trainer’s table for some stretching and then returned to the field.

After practice, he avoided direct answers to any question, saying he was only speaking to reporters to fulfill a contractual obligation.

“I get paid to play football and that’s what I’m going to continue to do and work hard at it,” Foster said.

Foster has given no indication why he’s turned cold to the Houston media. He was just the opposite in a recent interview with ESPN, revealing that he considered retiring after hurting his back last season and undergoing surgery.

When a reporter asked on Thursday if Foster had given any more thought to stepping away from the game, he clammed up again, saying he was working hard and will continue to do that.

Texans coach Bill O’Brien says he hasn’t decided if Foster will play in Saturday’s game against Atlanta. Foster wasn’t revealing anything, either, although he took reps against the Atlanta defense.

“I’m just going to keep working hard and whatever happens after that is going to transpire,” he said.

Also Thursday, the Texans’ front office, coaches and staff honored cancer-stricken offensive lineman David Quessenberry by wearing “Texans for DQ” T-shirts.

Quessenberry was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma in June and center Chris Myers launched a T-shirt campaign with the goal of raising $100,000 for lymphoma research.

Several Falcons joined in on Thursday, wearing “Atlanta for DQ” shirts and the linemen from both teams got together after practice for a group photo.

Quessenberry, a sixth-round pick in 2013, is undergoing cancer treatments in California.

“We might be fighting the easiest fight out here on the field,” Houston guard Ben Jones said. “He’s a guy that’s battling every day for his life and it’s hard to say because I don’t want to get emotional. He’s one of my best friends on the team. He’s like a brother and he’s doing his thing and we’re going to try to do it for him.”

Notes: Atlanta rookie RT Jake Matthews is getting valuable experience going up against J.J. Watt this week. Atlanta selected Matthews with the sixth overall pick in the draft to help an offensive line that ranked as one of the league’s worst in 2013. The joint practices are giving the 6-foot-5, 309-pound Matthews a chance to test his skills against one of the league’s most dominant pass rushers. “It’s no joke. He’s a good really good player,” Matthews said. “It’s been really good to go against someone that is one of the best in the league.” … After practice, Texans chief operating officer Cal McNair and some media members doused themselves with buckets of ice as part of a national campaign to raise awareness and money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. … Atlanta WR Julio Jones sat out Thursday’s workout and Falcons coach Mike Smith wasn’t saying if Jones would play on Saturday. “We have a plan and we know what it is and that’s to make sure we have our players healthy and ready to go,” Smith said, “and we’re not going to deviate from that.”

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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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