Skip to main content

Browns running back Ben Tate practices, could play

By WTOP Staff

TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Ben Tate’s injured right knee has healed. His confidence was never even bruised.

Cleveland’s running back returned to practice Tuesday for the first time since spraining his knee in the first half of the season opener at Pittsburgh on Sept. 7. Wearing a brace for the first time in his career, Tate made several sharp cuts and looked quick during the portion of individual and team drills.

Following the workout, which was moved into the indoor field house because of rain, Tate made it clear he’s eager to reclaim his starting job.

“Of course,” he said. “If I’m going to be out there, then I want to be that guy.”

Tate “felt like a kid in a candy store” being back on the field as the Browns returned from their bye week, but he’s not yet certain if he’ll be able to play Sunday when the Browns (1-2) visit the Tennessee Titans (1-3).

“We’ll see where my knee’s at,” he said. “We’ll see how it goes. It’s still early on. I have to go through a full practice and see how it feels. If it feels good, I’ll go. If, not we’ll wait and see.”

Browns coach Mike Pettine said as long as Tate is healthy and cleared to play, he’ll be back on the field.

“If he’s ready to go, there’s no sense in resting him,” Pettine said. “He told us last week that if we had a game yesterday it would have been possible he could have gone. It just leads us to believe that it shouldn’t be an issue this week, but we still need to get him a full week of practice and see how the knee responds to it.”

If there was any positive to Tate missing two games it was that Cleveland’s rushing attack barely missed a beat. Rookies Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell — nicknamed the “Baby Backs” — stepped in and performed well in his absence. West replaced Tate against the Steelers and finished with 100 yards on 16 carries and Crowell scored two touchdowns in the Browns’ 30-27 loss.

Through three games, West, a third-round draft pick, has 204 yards and two TDs and Crowell, an undrafted free agent, is averaging 5.2 yards per carry and scored three times.

Tate, who dismissed West during training as being any threat to his job, has enjoyed watching his young teammates learn on the fly.

“I’m proud of those guys,” Tate said. “I believe in myself and I know what I can do and I believe in my talents. I’m never one of those guys that wants to hate on the next guy. I’m proud of what they’ve done, but I also think they could have done a better job, too, and I let those guys know that because the better they are, the better this team’s going to be.”

But while Tate’s enthused about Cleveland’s sudden depth at running back, there may not be enough carries to satisfy this trio.

For Tate, two’s a couple. Three’s a crowd.

“Three? I don’t know about three,” Tate said when asked about the crowded backfield. “That’s tough to have three running backs. As a running back you want to get into a rhythm, so it’s tough to have three, but two? Yeah, I definitely think two running backs works.”

Tate said he’s still “feeling my way” with wearing the brace and doesn’t know if he’ll keep it on during games.

He was quick to point out that Adrian Peterson wasn’t restricted by his knee brace.

“A.P. played with it and had 200 yards one game,” Tate said. “Did you see that? It’s all mental. But if that’s going to protect me and if that’s what I know is best for me, whatever I’ve got to do to get that mental aspect of it, I’ll do it and play with it. But if not, we’ll see where it goes.”

NOTES: DL Desmond Bryant didn’t practice because of an unspecified injury. Pettine said the 6-foot-6, 310-pounder is “a little nicked up.” … Long snapper Christian Yount could be under even more pressure. The team signed long snapper Charley Hughlett to its practice squad. Yount has had a bad snap in each of Cleveland’s first three games. Hughlett was signed as a free agent by Dallas in 2012. He’s spent time with the Cowboys, Patriots and Jaguars. … TE Jordan Cameron said the bye week was good for his sore right shoulder, but “probably better for my mind. I hadn’t seen my son in two months. I was happy to see him and take him to school and play the dad role.”

___

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
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