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Shanahan’s future may hinge on Redskins’ second half

By Rob Woodfork

WASHINGTON – As the Washington Redskins embark on the final seven games of their miserable 2013 season, it’s important to temper expectations on where they’ll finish.

Yes, it’s wholly unusual to have to supply such a caveat for a 3-6 team. But this is the same record the ‘Skins took into their bye week last season before coming out of their break with a seven-game tear that will go down as one of the most exciting finishes we’ve ever seen in Washington.

This ain’t 2012, though.

This season, the Redskins don’t have the phenomenal rookie tandem of RG3 and Alfred Morris. What they have is Robert Griffin III trying to work himself back from a devastating knee injury and an offensive coordinator (Kyle Shanahan) who has mind-numbingly decided that passing with his ailing quarterback supersedes the need to pound the rock with one of the league’s best young running backs.

Even still, the offense has gotten incrementally better — they’re ranked fifth in yardage and ninth in scoring. That’s more than we can say for the special teams unit that is historically one of the worst in recent NFL history, both in returning kicks and covering them. I mean, they had two field goals blocked against the Chargers in succession. You can’t even do that on a video game.

The defense has been just so-so this year. The ‘Skins are again among the worst teams in yardage allowed (27th) and scoring (31st), but they’ve again made the most of their takeaways (their four defensive touchdowns is tied for the most in the league). They’re middle-of-the-road in terms of getting off the field on third down (ranked 14th), but the pass rush is nowhere near as good as we thought it would be with Brian Orakpo back in the lineup (his four sacks have him light-years away from the league lead).

The Redskins also lack the appropriate trump cards. When you only win nine or 10 games, your ability to qualify for the postseason tends to come down to tiebreakers. Right now, the ‘Skins are 1-5 in conference and 0-2 in the division, which won’t get you anywhere. Yes, another seven-game winning streak to close out the season would remedy this (7-5 in conference, 4-2 in division would be fine finishes), but do you think they can hold it together long enough to pull that off? I sure don’t.

The ‘Skins are healthier than they were last season, play in a division that’s easily the worst in football and have a comparable schedule to last year’s. Yet they’re right back at 3-6? Not a good sign.

Naturally, that begs the question: Is Mike Shanahan truly the right man for the job? He may not be concerned with his contract situation, but the rest of us sure are. It’s hard to see him back as a lame- duck coach in 2014, and it’s equally difficult seeing Dan Snyder give him an extension with the team in obvious regression. That means these last seven games will ultimately determine the long-term direction of the Redskins.

I don’t think the ‘Skins need to run the table like they did in 2012, but they certainly have to make things interesting down the stretch. If this team flames out at 5-11 or 6-10, the Shanahan Era could be a wrap. But a 5-2 finish to get to 8-8 would ensure meaningful football in December — and given the way the NFC East has played out thus far, maybe even another division title.

The bottom line: Something intangible helped the Redskins to the NFC East title last season. With a lackluster defense, injuries and a void of talent because of salary cap penalties, this team had no business winning their division — but they had a certain mojo that allowed it to happen.

Whatever secret sauce they had during the 2012 season dried up on the FedEx Field dirt last January, because ever since “RGKnee,” it’s been one setback after another. They don’t have the key injuries they had last year, but there’s more than enough self-inflicted wounds to negate that benefit.

So let’s all hunker down and see how this thing plays out. Four or more wins, and we get to see at least another season of Shanny and Son. Crap the bed like Year 1 and Year 2, and we could see Chucky dolls in burgundy and gold in celebration of Jon Gruden’s arrival.

No pressure.

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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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