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Scandrick gets 2-game reprieve, says he’s ready

By WTOP Staff

SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Orlando Scandrick had to watch the Cowboys on pay-per-view from California in their second game without him, hoping a revised drug policy would cut his four-game suspension in half.

The long-awaited word finally came Wednesday morning, and the Dallas cornerback was back on the practice field with every intention of playing Sunday in St. Louis.

Scandrick just smiled when asked if he would be ready to face the Rams.

“Yeah, without a question,” the seventh-year player said. “Without a doubt.”

Scandrick didn’t leave his home in the Los Angeles area over the weekend because he figured the players and the league still had some details to work out on a revised policy for performance-enhancing drugs. He was back in the Dallas area this week, waiting a couple of days longer than he thought.

“If I would have had my way, I wouldn’t have missed any games and this would have gotten handled in August,” Scandrick said, referring to ongoing discussions over changes to the drug policy. “I’m just thankful. Those were things that were out of my hands, and I’m excited to come back.”

Scandrick acknowledged testing positive for a banned stimulant after a vacation in Mexico during the offseason, although he said he didn’t know he was taking a drug that included anything on the league’s list of performance enhancers.

The 27-year-old Scandrick went through training camp knowing he would probably miss the first part of the season. His appeal was turned down while the team was still in California, so the Cowboys adjusted by giving him extra playing time in preseason games.

“Coach (Jason) Garrett was very upset with me, but he handled me like a family member,” Scandrick said. “He was disappointed in me but he guided me through the process. He supported me through the process. The same with my teammates.”

If he was upset a few months ago, Garrett sounded like he was over it when he got to welcome Scandrick back.

“He was very forthcoming with me in our conversations, taking full responsibility for the situation and also just came to work,” Garrett said. “I thought the challenge for somebody like that in this kind of a situation is what they do every day in practice in training camp and throughout the preseason, understanding they aren’t going to be part of the first part of the season. But he came to work. He got better as a player.”

Scandrick started a career-high 15 games last year and is likely to resume that role alongside Brandon Carr. The question is what will happen with Morris Claiborne and Sterling Moore.

Claiborne is a former top 10 pick who missed six games last year and is trying to re-establish himself as a starter, while Moore was solid filling in for Scandrick the first two weeks.

Either way, a Dallas defense that has exceeded expectations the first two games will have more depth at cornerback, and earlier than anticipated, compared to last year’s unit that gave up the third-most yards in league history.

“Sterling has done a good job, but there is a body of work that Orlando Scandrick has with our team that we feel really good about,” Garrett said. “You can’t have enough corners on your team. We’ve found that out before.”

Scandrick has always played with a something-to-prove edge as a fifth-round pick out of Boise State in 2008. Now there’s a new element to his game — making up for lost time.

“My stat line says zero, zero, zero, zero and zero,” Scandrick said. “At the end of the season, nobody is going to go back and say, ‘He missed two games. That’s why he didn’t make that many plays.’ So I’ve got some work to do, some catching up.”

Just not as much as he originally thought.

NOTES: QB Tony Romo and WR Dez Bryant missed practice but were expected to return Thursday. Romo had stiffness in his surgically repaired back but said it was a routine day off. Bryant injured his right shoulder against Tennessee but stayed in the game. … LB Rolando McClain (groin) missed practice and wasn’t expected back Thursday. LB Justin Durant is missing at least two games with a similar injury. … Rookie DT Davon Coleman injured a knee lifting weights Monday and was still on crutches two days later. … RB Joseph Randle was held out of practice because of a concussion. … DE Anthony Spencer (knee) practiced for the first time since microfracture surgery last October. He hasn’t played since Week 2 last year. … To make room for Scandrick on the roster, T Darrion Weems (shoulder) was placed on season-ending injured reserve.

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Online:

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Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler

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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