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Jets’ Decker sits out practice with tight hammy

By WTOP Staff

DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Eric Decker’s balky right hamstring is acting up again.

The New York Jets wide receiver sat out practice Thursday with tightness in his leg, leaving his status uncertain for the team’s game at San Diego on Sunday.

“Hopefully, Decker will be all right,” coach Rex Ryan said. “I’m hopeful he’ll play, but that was just something we felt, that it would be best to not have him practice today.”

Decker was limited Wednesday, but participated only in individual drills Thursday before sitting out the rest of practice as a precaution.

“We’re just trying to be smart,” Decker said. “It’s kind of a touch-and-feel situation with a hamstring. It’s kind of my first time dealing with a soft tissue (injury). If it doesn’t feel right, I just didn’t want to push it overboard. So, it’s kind of day to day.”

Decker has been bothered by the hamstring since injuring it in Week 2 at Green Bay — which was actually an aggravation of an injury that first occurred during training camp. He said his hamstring felt tight when he woke up Thursday and couldn’t get it loose.

“He just never felt right,” Ryan said, “and that’s why we just backed him down.”

Decker has been listed as questionable before each of the last two games, but played in both. He had one catch for 19 yards against Chicago before being taken out of the game as a precaution. Decker bounced back with four catches for 48 yards and a touchdown while playing most of the game against Detroit before he felt a bit of fatigue in the second half.

“I felt good in the first half,” he said. “I felt like I really had no setbacks, didn’t really feel it too much. I wouldn’t say that I was going 100 percent, but I was definitely close.”

Ryan said it can always be a concern that a hamstring issue could be a lingering issue, and Decker indicated that he has considered that.

“I don’t think anything is better than rest, but it’s hard as a competitor to say, ‘All right, I’m just going to do nothing for two weeks,'” Decker said. “I want to be out there. If I can go in any capacity, I want to go. That’s my mentality. Obviously, I just need to be smart with it. We’ll have that conversation. We’ll see how (Friday) is.”

Decker might not be the only wide receiver who won’t play at San Diego. David Nelson sat out practice for the second straight day with a sprained left ankle, and Ryan said there’s “a chance” he could play — but not if he doesn’t practice at all this week.

Nelson, who has six catches for 45 yards, said he will fly to San Diego with the team, whether he can play or not.

“I do feel very confident,” Nelson said of his chances of playing. “I did a lot of work out there today that was definitely a step in the right direction.”

Cornerback Dee Milliner (quadriceps) and safety Calvin Pryor were full practice participants after being limited Wednesday. Center Nick Mangold (shoulder) and right guard Willie Colon (knee) were limited, but are expected to play.

NOTES: Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg on the struggling offense so far: “Some of the things, shoot, I’m sort of proud of. Some of our numbers are pretty good. But nothing probably to write home to Mom about. But, maybe Grandma. Grandmas, they think everything’s great.” … Ryan, who was retained in the offseason, on whether it would be nice to have a vote of confidence from owner Woody Johnson about his status beyond this season: “No, hey, shoot, I’m not expecting a new salary at 1-3. Believe me, I’m just glad he never said another two words that he could have said.”

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org 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
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