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Packers rookies Janis, Elliott bolster roster bids

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Packers rookies who have made two of the strongest impressions this preseason weren’t at the top of the team’s draft board.

Productive performances by seventh-round pick Jeff Janis and undrafted free agent Jayrone Elliott in Thursday night’s 34-14 preseason win over the Oakland Raiders may have cemented their spots in Green Bay. Teams must trim rosters to 53 players by Saturday afternoon.

“I knew that I had to perform and show once again what I could do. I feel really good about the game and I’m just going to hope for the best,” said Janis, a receiver who had a 33-yard touchdown catch and 62-yard kickoff return to set up another score.

The main story line for the Packers will be whether coach Mike McCarthy decides to keep both Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzien to back up starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. That would give McCarthy two good insurance policies if Rodgers goes down for any length of time, as he did last season for seven weeks with a collarbone injury.

Tolzien has shown enough talent that he would likely be signed by another team if left on the Packers’ practice squad. But the down side with keeping three quarterbacks is that it would take up a valuable roster spot for someone unlikely to play barring injury, whereas keeping a player at another position would allow the Packers to use that man on special teams.

It’s already game week in Green Bay with the season opener on Sept. 4 in Seattle against the Super Bowl champion Seahawks looming. But McCarthy was going to take every minute available to make the roster decisions.

“Absolutely. The most important thing we have in front of us is picking this roster,” McCarthy said.

The 6-foot-3 Janis appears to be in good shape. It’s impressive for someone from Division II Saginaw Valley State who missed the first week of camp because of illness.

“I think I showed what I can do and I knew it was something in this game that I had to showcase a little bit more. I think I did pretty well,” Janis said.

So did Elliott, a longshot linebacker from Toledo who recorded his fifth sack in three preseason games. That includes three in four plays two weeks ago against St. Louis.

But the first four sacks occurred late in games. Thursday’s takedown came after Elliott pushed first-string right tackle Donald Stephenson into the pocket before putting his hands on the quarterback with the Chiefs backed up against their own goal line.

It was the most extensive playing time yet for Elliott, who cramped up at one point in the second half.

“His body of work has been very good,” McCarthy said.

Janis and Elliott might bolster positions that already have good depth.

Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb lead the Packers receiving corps, and Jarrett Boykin appears to have locked down the third receiver position. Second-round pick Davante Adams also had a touchdown against the Chiefs.

At outside linebacker, the Packers have a healthy Clay Matthews to go with free agent addition Julius Peppers. Mike Neal and Nick Perry also figure to work regularly into the pass rush rotation.

They might have to make room for Elliott, too.

“You never know. I’m probably going to go catch a movie with the guys and take my mind off it,” he said. “The one thing I wanted to do when I came here was to leave everything I had and just get better every day, and I think I accomplished 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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