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Packers’ Boykin making noise with his play

By WTOP Staff

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Jarrett Boykin was talking about his least favorite topic: Jarrett Boykin.

At a position known for its attention-loving players, there’s only one reason the Green Bay Packers’ third-year wide receiver had even agreed to an interview.

“You get fined for not doing them,” he said with a slight smirk.

It’s not that Boykin is anti-social. He’s smart and engaging when he does talk. He simply doesn’t want or need the attention.

“You’re not all bad, but it’s just, I don’t know. That’s just how I carry myself,” Boykin said. “You guys can write the articles, you can tell the stories, but at the end of the day, I’m the one who has to go out there and prove what I’ve got to prove.”

It is that need with proving himself that has driven Boykin to be the Packers’ No. 3 receiver, behind Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. That would put him ahead of the rest of the pack — including rookie second-round pick Davante Adams — entering the Packers’ preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night at Lambeau Field.

“Clearly he’s taken the next step. I just love the way he plays,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Tuesday. “He’s physical, his toughness, he’s relentless. I think he’s exceptional at the top of his route. You see his strength and balance to separate from a DB. I think he’s had an excellent camp.”

More than once in training camp, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has expressed concern about where some younger players are with the offense as the Sept. 4 regular-season opener at defending Super Bowl champion Seattle approaches.

Last week, Rodgers said of his young wide receivers and tight ends, “If you cannot line up right, if you can’t get the checks and if you can’t get what you’re supposed to do every time — then there’s no way you can possibly be on the field when I’m out there.”

Then, on Monday, Rodgers was at it again.

“You know what? They need to catch up,” Rodgers told a large group of reporters at his locker. “I think some of them are playing the right way, and some of them have got to catch up. They’re going to need to if they want to be on the field.”

Boykin had played only 10 total snaps in the first four games of last season. He didn’t play a single snap on offense in the opener and one snap against Washington in Week 2. He hadn’t caught a single pass until Cobb’s leg injury at Baltimore on Oct. 13.

After a 43-yard catch against the Ravens, Boykin went on to finish with 49 receptions for 681 yards and three touchdowns last season.

“The biggest thing that helped Jarrett is that he became an expert of our offense,” Rodgers said. “And he spent a lot of time studying our offense, getting in my ear, wanting to hear what he needed to do to get on the field, what I expected of him in certain situations and certain route concepts.

“And if you’re consistently in the right place at the right time, you can’t help but make plays. The ball is going to find you.

“We throw to the open guy in this offense, we go through our progressions. We don’t lock in on one person. And if you’re consistently doing the right thing, running the right route at the proper depth, you can’t help but make plays. And that’s what happened with Jarrett. The more plays you make, the more confidence you’re going to have and that’s when you’re going to see guys reach and times exceed their potential.”

Boykin said he still hasn’t reached his. He didn’t need the Packers to draft three wide receivers — Adams, Jared Abbrederis (fifth) and Jeff Janis (seventh) — to keep him from getting complacent.

“My whole mindset coming in was obviously continue to progress, get better and show that I know the system really well,” said Boykin, who has three receptions for 21 yards through three preseason games. “Consistency — that was my overall focus, to be consistent in everything I do, whether it be releases, route running, run blocking, everything.”

NOTES: To get to the NFL-mandated 75-man roster limit, the Packers placed nose tackle B.J. Raji (biceps), wide receiver Jared Abbrederis (knee), offensive lineman Don Barclay (knee), guard Andrew Tiller (calf), running back Rajion Neal (knee) and linebacker Joe Thomas (knee) on IR. … The team reached an injury settlement with tight end Colt Lyerla, who was waived/injured last week and had been on the team’s injured reserve list.

___

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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