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Rex Ryan on 1-5 Jets: ‘We’re not dead’

By WTOP Staff

DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Rex Ryan had never been in this spot before as a head coach.

His New York Jets are 1-5 with five straight losses, a stretch of increasing frustration for the team — and fear from fans that this season is already over just six games in.

Ryan knows it doesn’t look good. It’s the longest losing streak in his six years with the Jets, but that doesn’t mean the coach is writing off the season.

“My message is pretty simple: Hey, we might be counted out, (but) we’re not dead,” Ryan said Monday. “We are going to fight our tails off.”

Ryan tried his best to sound positive, but he appeared weary and acknowledged he got very little sleep after the Jets’ 31-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. His job status has also been a hot topic of discussion.

He is 47-45 with the Jets, including 4-2 in the postseason — with his last trip coming four years ago, which likely seems a lifetime ago for Ryan. For a guy who made headlines with his brash approach and headline-making bravado, his current conundrum has become the low point of his coaching career.

“Yeah, I would say so,” Ryan said. “It’s not by a lack of effort. We’re trying everything we can. It just hasn’t happened for us yet.”

Next up is a game Thursday night at New England against the AFC East-rival Patriots. It’s another chance to try to get things moving in the right direction, but even Ryan acknowledged it’s “not ideal.”

Not when you’re going against Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. Not when there are questions as to whether the Jets’ morale might be dipping dangerously low.

“Well, look, this is the biggest rival you have,” Ryan said he will tell his players. “You don’t have to worry about the motivation. It’s going to be there. Both teams don’t like each other. There’s respect for each other, but I don’t think you really like each other. We know we have to be at our very best.

“We can’t make mistakes.”

There have been plenty of those this season, and quarterback Geno Smith has been in the middle of a lot of them. He has seven interceptions, including a wayward toss in the closing moments Sunday that Aqib Talib returned for a sealing touchdown.

Despite his struggles, Smith remains the starter over Michael Vick despite calls by some to give the veteran a chance to spark the offense.

“I think Geno is the best way to go right now,” Ryan said. “That’s why I’m comfortable saying he will be our starter.”

Smith mostly rebounded from a brutal week in which he was fined $12,000 for cursing at a fan while walking off the field after a game; bristling a bit at a reporter; and missing a team meeting the night before he was benched at halftime of the Jets’ 31-0 loss at San Diego.

During a conference call with Patriots writers, Smith was asked what the year has been like for him because it appears it’s been “a little topsy-turvy.”

“For me, it hasn’t been,” Smith said. “Obviously, with everything that goes on with the media, a lot of things are, I would say, miscommunicated, and then it just gets misprinted and then misunderstood. I don’t have any quarrels with anything. The main thing is that we just have to find a way to get a win. The hardest part about it all is losing. With the effort, the time that we put in, the preparation that we put in throughout the week, coming up with game plans — we always have a really good game plan going in — and then obviously we haven’t executed as well as we’d like.

“Those things are tougher than I guess what can be said and what is portrayed out there in the media.”

Winning often helps temper criticisms, but it’s something the Jets haven’t done since the season opener against Oakland.

“There’s no way I would have thought,” Ryan said, “that we’d have the record that we have right now at the beginning of the year.”

During training camp, Ryan insisted his team was good enough to be a playoff contender. The Jets’ current record, combined with injuries and shaky play, indicate that Ryan overestimated his team.

But his players know that with 10 games left, there is time — although it’s quickly dwindling — to turn their season around.

“There is a shot,” Smith said in the locker room. “It’s definitely one that’s a stretch, but as long as we’ve got a shot, we’ve got an opportunity. We can look forward to having another tough game, but I believe that we’re going to be fired up this Thursday night.”

___

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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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