Skip to main content

Giants first-round pick Beckham close to playing

By WTOP Staff

TOM CANAVAN
AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants suddenly-potent offense may soon have another weapon for Eli Manning.

First-round draft pick Odell Beckham Jr., did a little more during Monday’s workout and there is an outside chance the speedy receiver may make his NFL debut Sunday when the Giants (2-2) play host to the Atlanta Falcons (2-2).

Beckham pulled a hamstring early in training camp and missed all five preseason games and the first four games of the regular season. Every time he practiced, he aggravated the injury.

The more time Beckham missed, the more Giants fans have bemoaned his failure to contribute to the team. The comments, through social media and other means, motivated him.

“I don’t think there’s anybody who’s been more frustrated than I have been, sitting out, coming in and leaving, this being your first year and you’ve already missed games and you’ve never missed a game in your life,” Beckham said Monday. “It’s just not something that’s easy to deal with.”

The former LSU player recently returned to practice on a limited basis and he is starting to show signs that he will be ready to play in the Giants’ new west coast offense has averaged 434 yards and 37.5 points in two consecutive wins.

While Beckham wants to get on the field as soon as possible, coach Tom Coughlin isn’t going to rush him and aggravating the injury again.

“He has to practice,” Coughlin said. “He has to practice consecutive days, he has to be able to show us that he’s not only strong enough, but can endure day after day, so there’s some room here to make some progress and impress everybody.”

Manning has thrown to his fellow New Orleans native in passing camps at home, but the two have had little work since New York took Beckham with the 12th pick overall in the draft. He hopes to send a lot more time getting on the same page, both on and off the field.

On the field, it’s just simple routes. Off the field, Manning is making sure Beckham is familiar with all the hand signals, the checks and what to do in certain situations.

“We’re going to have to work hard with him to get him up to speed so when he’s in there he’s confident, he can play fast,” Manning said. “I don’t know what the game plan is for him right now, but we’ll just take it day-by-day.”

Beckham probably is the fastest receiver on the Giants and he should give them a legitimate deep threat, even though the offense has been more effective lately with Manning getting rid of the ball quickly to Victor Cruz, Rueben Randle and emerging tight end Larry Donnell.

In the wins over Texas and Washington, Manning was 49 of 67 passes for 535 yards, six touchdowns and an interception that wasn’t his fault. The running game also gained 347 yards.

“I’m really just trying to learn the playbook and wherever I fit in is where I fit in,” said Beckham, who had 59 catches for 1,152 yards and eight touchdowns in his final season in college. “Maybe see some deeper balls or we keep doing what we’re doing, I don’t really see a need to change.”

Randle, who played with Beckham at LSU, can’t wait for his buddy to play.

“I already know what he can do,” Randle said. “I think it’s up to him to show everybody else what he can do.”

NOTES: Third-year cornerback Jayron Hosley practiced Monday, his first since serving a four-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on substance abuse. The team has a one-week roster exemption. …With a rare Sunday off, Coughlin watched the Falcons, Eagles and Cowboys games on television. “.the reason you watch them is to get a feel for how the team is playing and where their strengths are, maybe where their weaknesses are. What’s the other team doing? Is it working? It’s kind of like a checklist. …Giants LT Will Beatty is going to see an old friend on Sunday. He will be lined up against former Giants DE Osi Umenyiora. …Donnell, who caught three first-half touchdown passes, caught a lot of emails, tweets and messages from family, friends and former teammates over the weekend.

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