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Winless Bucs looking for answers to slow start

By WTOP Staff

FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Lovie Smith wasn’t in a mood to say much of anything about his struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one of three NFL teams that remain winless.

Injuries were off limits for discussion Monday, as were potential changes the coach may be considering in the aftermath of a 42-point loss to NFC South rival Atlanta.

Quarterback Josh McCown sprained the thumb on his throwing hand during last Thursday night’s debacle, however Smith isn’t ready to answer questions about the severity of the injury, whether second-year pro Mike Glennon will make his first start of the season this week at Pittsburgh, or if there could be other lineup changes unrelated to injuries.

“He’s getting better,” Smith said of McCown, who’s thrown twice as many interceptions (four) as touchdown passes (two) in losses to Carolina, St. Louis and the Falcons, adding that he’ll have more to say about a lengthy injury list that includes defensive linemen Gerald McCoy and Michael Johnson, linebacker Mason Foster and running back Doug Martin on Wednesday.

McCoy (broken left hand), Johnson (ankle), Foster (shoulder) and Martin (knee) all sat out against Atlanta but are hopeful of returning soon.

“I’m not going to talk about injuries when no other team in the league is on Monday. … We are getting guys back, which we need,” the coach said. “We’re optimistic. Sometimes things are not quite as bad as they’re portrayed.”

Glennon started 13 games a rookie after being drafted by former coach Greg Schiano in the third round in 2013, completing 59.4 percent of his passes for 2,608 yards, 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

The Bucs went 4-9 in those games, but the 6-foot-6, 225-pound Glennon never really had an opportunity to earn the No. 1 job after Schiano and former general manager Mark Dominik were fired last December and replaced by Smith and new GM Jason Licht.

Signing McCown to a two-year, $10 million was one of Tampa Bay’s top priorities in free agency, and Smith immediately declared the 35-year-old career backup who’s played for six teams in 11 seasons the starter.

McCown was injured when he banged his thumb on an Atlanta player’s helmet while throwing an incompletion. Before leaving the game late in the second quarter, he completed 5 of 12 passes for 58 yards, no touchdowns and an interception that was returned for a Falcons TD.

Glennon relieved him and went 17 of 24 for 121 yards, no interceptions, and a late touchdown that cut into a 56-0 deficit.

The following day, Smith reiterated that McCown, who threw 13 TD passes and just one interception while filling in eight games for an injured Jay Cutler in Chicago, is still his quarterback.

“Josh is our starter. We’re looking at one game right now. It would be simple if Josh was the only guy to play bad,” Smith said. “It seems like that’s the only guy I’m asked about: ‘Is Josh your starter?’ You could ask that about quite a few people, starting with me. Am I still the head coach based off of that effort (in Atlanta)? But a little bit more goes into it than that.”

Smith also was tight-lipped about potential changes that may be planned. The team practiced Monday after having the weekend off, getting a headstart on preparing for the Steelers (2-1).

“When you get beat that bad, you need to make changes,” the coach said. “Maybe that’s personnel, maybe it’s not. You’re looking at all areas when you feel like you need to go another direction.”

___

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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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