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Jaguars want Bortles to ‘step up’ as starter

By WTOP Staff

MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Blake Bortles is treating his first career start just like any other game.

He isn’t showing up early, staying late or doing any more than normal.

About the only thing that’s changed is his role in the quarterbacks meeting room. Instead of sitting in the second chair and watching Chad Henne run the game-tape remote, Bortles has taken over.

“It’s his responsibility to step up,” offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch said Wednesday as the Jaguars (0-3) prepared to play at San Diego (2-1). “He has to take control of those meetings because it’s really not that important what any of us know. What’s important is what he knows and what he can grasp and what he believes what he needs from them.

“He’s going to run those meetings, and it will be a learning curve for him.”

The Jaguars can only hope Bortles keeps improving at his current pace.

The former UCF standout has made steady strides since Jacksonville selected him with the third overall pick in May’s NFL draft. He struggled at times in offseason drills, but was sharp in training camp and the preseason.

He was even more solid against Indianapolis on Sunday, throwing for 223 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. Granted, he played in a blowout and against a defense that surely wasn’t playing with the same effort and energy that helped it build a 30-point halftime lead. But he showed poise, pocket presence, accuracy and scrambling ability.

He made a few mistakes, including an interception that was returned for a touchdown, but the Jaguars are willing to take the bad with the good while he gets a better grasp of the figuring out what it takes to be a full-time starter.

“Learn from it, move on and try not to make that same mistake again,” Bortles said.

Asked whether he’s ready for his first start, Bortles said “I don’t know.”

“I’m going to go out there and prepare this week and do everything that I’ve done — go over everything I possibly can to get ready and I’m going to go play football,” he said. “We’re going to play Sunday whether I’m ready or not, so I might as well get as ready as I can possibly be.”

The Jaguars had planned to bring Bortles along slowly this season, even suggesting that they might keep him on the sideline the entire season. That became more and more unlikely the more Henne struggled and the losses mounted. The Jaguars rank 31st in the league in total offense and have been outscored by 75 points through three games.

They’re counting on Bortles making a difference.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Floridian has enough speed to be effective in zone-read plays and a threat when chased out of the pocket. He also hasn’t hesitated to change plays at the line of scrimmage, throw deep or take more chances than Henne.

“He’s ready,” Henne said. “You don’t get drafted No. 3 overall not to be ready. It’s always going to be a learning experience. Is he going to be Andrew Luck or is it going to take some time? We’ll take it one day at a time and he’ll go out there and do what he’s supposed and make some plays.”

Bortles expects to make a few against the Chargers, even if it’s his first career start

“It’s just another game, it’s another opportunity, no bigger than any other moment,” Bortles said. “You’re not going to remember your first game. You’re going to remember moments of it, but you’re not going to remember the whole thing. Hopefully there will be many more after that.”

___

AP NFL websites: 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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