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Bradley accepts blame for Jaguars’ latest loss

By WTOP Staff

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — After each of his previous 17 losses, Jacksonville Jaguars coach Gus Bradley could attribute them to problems on the field.

Missed tackles, blown coverages, dropped passes, turnovers.

This time, Bradley pointed the finger at himself, shouldering the blame for Jacksonville’s 16-14 loss at Tennessee on Sunday.

“I could have done better with the game management, with the challenge flags,” Bradley said Monday. “We all challenge ourselves in areas that we could get better. I challenged the team and I pointed out the things that I could get better at, too.”

Bradley lost both challenges, failing to change a call in the second quarter on what clearly looked like an incomplete pass and getting the same result by challenging a fumble by Titans running back Bishop Sankey early in the fourth. Replays showed Sankey’s knee was down, but Bradley threw the red flag anyway based on information he got from the coaches’ booth.

It cost Jacksonville a timeout, which would have come in handy late in the game, especially after the Jaguars (0-6) recovered an onside kick with 37 seconds remaining.

Jacksonville had no timeouts, so Bradley ended up sending Josh Scobee out to attempt a 55-yard field goal on a third-and-2 play. Had the Jags been able to stop the clock, they had plenty of time to run another play and get Scobee closer.

Compounding the problem, Scobee said he felt rushed getting on the field, getting through his routine and getting the ball snapped before the play clock expired.

“I know the clock was going down to five, four, three, and it made Josh a little nervous as far as we had no timeouts, what was going on,” Bradley said. “It wasn’t ideal for him, but we’ve still got to make those plays. I think he would be the first to admit that. I think we all, at times, were a little frustrated. It probably stems from me. We talk about, ‘Let’s be strong, let’s understand the situation that we’re in and make the most of it.’

“We’re all professionals and we’ve got to make plays, and I think I can do a better job of that. I know I could have led better (Sunday) as well.”

There were other negative things in the game that helped contribute to the team’s ninth consecutive loss.

Bradley said the defense had 15 missed tackles and the offense had poor field position all day. The team’s average drive started at the -yard line, and 10 of 11 possessions started at or inside the 20.

“That’s tough to go 80 yards every series,” Bradley said. “You’ve got to have some explosives and things like that, so we’ve got to find a way to get better field position.”

The running game was almost non-existence again. Quarterback Blake Bortles led the team with 38 yards on the ground. Three running backs combined for 43 yards on 18 carries.

“Out of those 18 attempts, four or five of them were prefect and really good execution,” Bradley said. “We’re not hitting it enough at a higher percentage. We need to for it to be efficient. The good news is there is a lot of room that we can get right.”

On the positive side, the Jaguars held an opponent to less than 300 yards of offense for the first time this season and held their opponent under 20 points for a second straight game. Jacksonville’s first four opponents all gained over 400 yards and scored at least 33 points. Last week, Pittsburgh had 372 yards and 17 points. The Titans finished with 290 yards and the 16 points.

Jacksonville had a season-high 27 first downs. Bortles completed 70 percent of his passes for a career-high 336 yards and a touchdown. And the Jaguars converted 53 percent ( 8 of 15) on third down while holding the Titans to just 27 percent.

“Obviously there are a lot of positives as we go through it on offense, defense and special teams,” Bradley said. “But the bottom line is we didn’t come away with what we had hoped for. We addressed it, we talked about it as a team and I challenged them. I know we have courage. We’re going to have to put that courage to work starting today and address these things and continue to get better.”

The Jaguars host Cleveland on Sunday.

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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