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Packers eager to see full season of Lacy, Rodgers

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — In Eddie Lacy, the Packers’ offense has found balance.

The physical running back had 1,178 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns when he won the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2013 — and that was with quarterback Aaron Rodgers sidelined for seven weeks with a collarbone injury.

Just imagine what a full year of Lacy and Rodgers together in the backfield could do for Green Bay’s already potent attack.

“Together, we definitely can be explosive,” Lacy said Sunday.

Better not leave out the offensive line, too — not with a difficult season opener looming Thursday against the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

“It takes the guys up front, as well, and they’ve been working hard and making sure they block their man. So, it should be a good year for us,” Lacy said.

There is no tougher place to get started than in Seattle in front of the Seahawks’ notoriously loud crowd, and against a defense that, when last seen, overpowered Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.

Rodgers witnessed the rout in person from a box at MetLife Stadium in chilly East Rutherford, New Jersey, back in February.

“I was having some hot dogs,” he joked.

OK, maybe he didn’t give the game his full attention the whole time, but he certainly saw enough.

“They got into a rhythm there with their pass rush and with their coverages, you know made some good plays,” he said. “They play with a lot of confidence, have a little swagger about ’em, and it’s a tough place to play.”

There’s nothing, then, like having the option of being able to hand off to one of the top young running backs in the league to help keep a defense guessing. Opponents brought a safety down closer to the line of scrimmage more often last year while Rodgers was out to concentrate on slowing Lacy.

“I’m not sure what’s going to change with me back in there full-time, but either way we should at different times find some more one (safety), one-on-one looks” for receivers Jarrett Boykin, Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson, Rodgers said. “And we’ve got to win those one-on-one battles.”

As usual for the Packers, there is an emphasis on tempo. Coach Mike McCarthy likes picking up the pace, and the first-string offense looked good during limited preseason snaps in operating without a huddle.

It’s all about trying to dictate the tempo. A no-huddle attack theoretically makes it more difficult for defenses to substitute to match personnel, and keeps bigger defensive linemen on the field longer.

“We’re going to try to go out and do what we do best and that’s our no-huddle. Speed the tempo up and try to be successful,” Nelson said.

McCarthy also has placed an emphasis this preseason on getting Lacy and backups James Starks and DuJuan Harris ready for three-down work, in part to minimize substitutions during a series and avoid interrupting the tempo.

Lacy has had extensive work on pass-catching drills in practice. He also wants to get better on the run when getting past the first wave of defenders in the trenches.

Rodgers described Lacy as an instinctive runner.

“He’s a talented guy. He’s a smart, smart player. He knows how to play the game. He plays at a very good tempo,” Rodgers said. “He’s a talented guy in the protection schemes. And he can catch the ball out of the backfield. But it’s like we’ve seen in this league, you need multiple backs to be successful.”

Also Sunday, the Packers signed 10 players to their practice squad, all of whom took part in Green Bay training camp. Those players are: receivers Kevin Dorsey, Alex Gillett and Myles White; safety Chris Banjo; offensive linemen Garth Gerhart and Jeremy Vujnovich; linebacker Adrian Hubbard; running back Michael Hill; tight end Justin Perillo; and defensive end Luther Robinson.

___

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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