Skip to main content

Vance McDonald confident he will play Sunday

By WTOP Staff

RICK EYMER
Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — 49ers tight end Vance McDonald expects to play Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The playing status of Vernon Davis is less certain.

McDonald, recovering from a knee injury, went through a personalized workout Friday and then ran routes, and afterward said he was ready to go.

“I’m confident I can go Sunday,” McDonald said. “Running routes felt great.”

McDonald hurt his knee during the 49ers’ loss to the Chicago Bears two weeks ago and has been limited to personal training as established by the team trainers.

“It’s something I had to work through,” McDonald said. “We’ve been using caution; it’s all about Sunday.”

The second-year tight end said he did well at Friday’s workout, which tested his knee from every angle.

“I’m pretty happy,” McDonald said. “I was impatient and wanted to do more work after I was finished for the day, but the trainers kept me on a schedule and they’ve done a great job of getting me back in a timely fashion.”

McDonald, who has one catch for 9 yards on the season, would give the 49ers more options. They relied on a five-receiver set in last week’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals because of a lack of depth at tight end.

“That’s what I like about this team: we can line up two tight ends or go with a five-receiver set and still move the football,” McDonald said. “I thought they did a great job offensively.”

Davis refused to commit to playing, perhaps shying away after making a definitive statement last week and not playing.

“It will be more of a game-time decision,” Davis said. “We’ll keep working and hopefully I can be ready. I feel a lot better than last week.”

Davis is sore in the deltoid ligament region of his ankle, which is the area where the foot and leg meet. He said he feels it around the front of his ankle and will test it Sunday about an hour before game time.

“It’s tough when the guys are all out there battling,” Davis said. “You want to be out there with them. But you can’t get too overwhelmed. I’ll just take it one day at a time.”

49ers coach Jim Harbaugh also expressed caution and optimism about Davis’ status, while extolling his talents in all phases of the offense.

“He’s one of the rare tight ends that’s really good in the run game and really good in the pass game,” Harbaugh said. “He’s at the highest level in both.”

Davis also realizes his value as a run blocker.

“Definitely, when you can run or pass everyone gets a chance to get involved, especially Frank Gore,” Davis said. “We can’t do too much without him. We’ve got to get him going as well as Michael Crabtree and the other receivers.”

NOTES: Harbaugh said the reason a field goal attempt was blocked against the Cardinals, who only had nine men on the field at the time, was that half the team never got the signal that a fake was taken off. “We didn’t communicate the fake was off,” he said. “Half the line knew it was off and half the line was blocking like it was a fake.” … LB Patrick Willis said he never prepares anything ahead of delivering his pre-game speech each week. “It’s just something I feel during warmups as I look at the team,” he said. “I start to feel it and I go with whatever comes up.” … S Antonie Bethea (ankle) is listed as questionable and did not practice Friday, though it’s likely he’ll be ready to make his 100th consecutive start against the Eagles. … C Marcus Martin (knee) is out, while CB Tramaine Brock (toe sprain) is listed as questionable, but is doubtful. T Anthony Davis (hamstring) is questionable, while Michael Crabtree (quad), Gore (back), Willis (wrist) and Justin Smith (non-injury related) are all probable.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote