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Harbaugh quiets critics, 49ers beat Chiefs 22-17

By WTOP Staff

ANTONIO GONZALEZ
AP Sports Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Jim Harbaugh walked out of an elevator at Levi’s Stadium with his parents late Sunday evening, smiling and cracking jokes with reporters after a day that began with more fuss about his future.

If there’s any drama surrounding Harbaugh, he certainly doesn’t seem to mind it.

The San Francisco 49ers came through in the clutch for their coach again, converting a fake punt from deep in their territory and leaning on five field goals from Phil Dawson to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 22-17 on Sunday.

The victory quieted the latest questions surrounding Harbaugh’s tenure and provided an emphatic response to all the “outside noise,” as he calls it. That is, for at least one more week.

“The team doesn’t have to respond. The team has to do their job and play football,” Harbaugh said. “It’s my job to love them, those players, those coaches, everybody in our organization. It’s their job to love each other. They don’t need to respond in any other way than their job.”

Reports have appeared since the offseason that players aren’t particularly happy with Harbaugh, and the most recent ones caused 49ers CEO and acting owner Jed York to speak out.

About three hours before kickoff, York posted on Twitter: “Jim is my coach. We are trying to win a SB (Super Bowl), not a personality or popularity contest. Any more questions?”

Harbaugh and his players helped answer some of them with a gutsy call late, spoiling the return of former franchise quarterback Alex Smith in the process.

The 49ers (3-2) turned to a trick play on fourth-and-1 from their 29 early in the fourth quarter, giving a direct snap to Craig Dahl for a 3-yard run up the middle. Colin Kaepernick directed the offense downfield, and Dawson kicked a 27-yard field goal with 8:42 to play for the go-ahead score.

Dawson also connected from 55, 52, 35 and 30 yards.

The 49ers smothered Smith and the Chiefs (2-3) twice in the closing moments. Smith threw for 175 yards and two touchdowns, but Perrish Cox intercepted his overthrown pass to end Kansas City’s comeback.

“It’s tough, you’re competitive, you want to win the game,” said Smith, who completed 17 of 31 passes. “Some of those guys I played a long time with.”

Here are some other takeaways from Sunday’s game:

LIMITED PENALTIES: The 49ers came into the game with a league-leading 46 penalties. They had only two for 10 yards against the Chiefs, who were whistled for four penalties for 29 yards.

RECORD RUSHER: Jamaal Charles ran for 80 yards on 15 carries for the Chiefs but was mostly a non-factor late. Charles is still on pace to become Kansas City’s career rushing leader. He eclipsed Larry Johnson (6,015 yards) for second place and needs 53 yards to pass Priest Holmes (6,070 yards) for the franchise record.

NINERS GROUND GAME: The 49ers have gotten back to what they do best the last two weeks: running the ball with authority. Frank Gore ran for 107 yards on 18 carries, and rookie Carlos Hyde had 10 carries for 43 yards. San Francisco finished with 171 yards rushing.

DAT’S DEBUT: De’Anthony Thomas made a big impact for the Chiefs, showing he could be an electric playmaker the way he was in college. The former Oregon standout ran his first punt return 28 yards, then caught a short screen and sprinted 17 yards for a score to put the Chiefs back in front 17-13 in the third quarter. Thomas also had another punt return for 10 yards.

KAEPERNICK UNDER CONTROL: Kaepernick completed 14 of 26 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. Perhaps more importantly, he finished with no turnovers, which had been a growing problem lately. He nearly was intercepted in the first quarter but kept calm under pressure — and got a few big grabs from his receivers — the rest of the way.

___

AP NFL website: 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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