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Flynn, Tolzien in tight competition at backup QB

By WTOP Staff

TODD MCMAHON
Associated Press

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Matt Flynn knows better than to worry about a numbers game at this juncture of training camp.

Having his number called at any point in a game played in August is OK with Flynn, a seven-year NFL quarterback in his second stint with the Green Bay Packers.

“Preseason, to me, is always just a blast to go out there and play,” Flynn said Thursday.

A day after Mike McCarthy confirmed Aaron Rodgers would make his belated preseason debut, the Green Bay coach wasn’t ready to say who would be next up at quarterback when the Packers play a preseason game at St. Louis on Saturday.

With the team off the field Thursday, McCarthy said the decision on who gets the first chance to run the offense after Rodgers against the Rams should come Friday.

“Tomorrow’s practice will determine that once we get through that,” McCarthy said.

Flynn and Scott Tolzien received significant playing time with Rodgers held out of Green Bay’s first game last weekend.

Flynn made the start and played most of the first half in the Packers’ 20-16 loss at Tennessee on a rainy Saturday night.

But Tolzien put up better stats when he had his chance in the challenging weather conditions and may have earned an extended look next time.

“It’s a great battle,” tight end Brandon Bostick said.

Bostick, a second-year player, played with Tolzien and Flynn during part of a trying stretch of seven games in the second half of last season when Rodgers was sidelined with a collarbone injury.

Those two capable backups, who combined for six starts in Rodgers’ absence, weren’t with Green Bay at this time last year.

Tolzien spent the first two months of the season on the Packers’ practice squad after they signed him at the end of the preseason following his release from the San Francisco 49ers.

Flynn re-signed with Green Bay, the team that took him in the seventh round of the 2008 draft, as a reinforcement just a week after Rodgers was injured in early November.

Flynn led the Packers to two critical wins in December to keep them in contention to repeat as NFC North champions when Rodgers returned for the last week of the regular season.

After Green Bay retained Flynn by signing the free agent to a one-year contract in April, many thought he had the inside track for the No. 2 job. Flynn had the same role behind Rodgers from 2008-11 before leaving the Packers in free agency to sign with Seattle in 2012.

But Tolzien benefited from being in Green Bay’s offseason program for the first time, and the former University of Wisconsin standout has been pushing Flynn in training camp.

“He’s a gym-rat kind of guy,” Rodgers said of Tolzien, a fourth-year pro. “He spends a lot of time at the facility, he’s always very well prepared, knows the scheme well. For him, it’s just about reps and keeping his confidence at a high level.”

The progress for Tolzien continued in the first preseason game. He replaced Flynn late in the first half and played into the fourth quarter before giving way to undrafted rookie Chase Rettig.

In his three series of work, Tolzien went 8 of 12 for 124 yards with a passer rating of 100.7.

“It was great to see Scott do that,” Bostick said. “I’m sure it was confidence boost for him, so he’s just trying to build on what he did last week.”

By comparison, Flynn was 5 of 10 for 49 yards with a passer rating of 64.2 in five series, played mostly in a rainstorm.

“I was disappointed in some of my efficiency passing just because I didn’t handle the ball well,” Flynn said. “It was a wet, heavy ball, and I didn’t handle it as well as I would have liked to.

“But my decision-making, I take away positives from that. I felt like all of my decisions I was going to the right place at the right time, I was on time, I just wasn’t able to throw it like I wanted to.”

Whether he is the No. 2 or No. 3 QB going into Saturday’s game, Flynn won’t have to worry about handling a wet ball inside St. Louis’ dome.

“It doesn’t matter who goes in when, it’s just about people getting reps and about people showcasing their knowledge and being able to make plays,” Flynn said.

NOTE: McCarthy wouldn’t say whether WR Jordy Nelson will play Saturday. The veteran starter missed the game at Tennessee with a hamstring injury, but returned to practice Tuesday. “Jordy is on course to practice tomorrow,” McCarthy said. “He practiced yesterday. Once we get through practice, we’ll determine the final play-time expectations for all of our guys. But he looks good.” … RB Eddie Lacy is looking to play for the first time in the preseason Saturday after missing the opener as a healthy scratch. “I believe so, but probably not a lot,” Lacy said Thursday, when asked whether he expects to play Saturday. The Packers have been limiting Lacy’s workload in the preseason.

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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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