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Clemons arrives at Jaguars camp amid family issues

By WTOP Staff

MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Defensive end Chris Clemons got a warm — more like heated — welcome on his first day with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Coach Gus Bradley halted practice midway through the session and lit into his players for a lack of energy.

For Clemons, who spent three years playing under then-defensive coordinator Bradley in Seattle, it provided familiar a sight and sound.

“I’ve seen worse,” said Clemons, who skipped three voluntary practices last week because of family issues. “That was a light day coming out of him. I’ve seen worse. I’ve been on the end of one of those, so it was one of those things that you just see and you’re like, ‘OK, I understand that,’ and you keep it moving.”

Aside from the brief rant, Clemons’ debut was rather ordinary.

He couldn’t say the same about last week.

“We all have issues that we go through that we can’t control,” Clemons said. “Being one of the leaders of my family, I had to step in and take control of that issue.”

Bradley was initially disappointed about Clemons’ absence, only because Clemons had not indicated whether he would or wouldn’t be in town for the start of OTAs.

But Bradley and Clemons talked out their differences late last week, making for a smooth situation Monday.

“You’re going to see guys periodically have to miss, but they communicate with me,” Bradley said. “Right now, the plan is that he is here. It is voluntary, so they have that opportunity where if something comes up they have to determine the importance of it. The main thing I am asking for is communication, and it’s been great.”

The Jaguars are hoping for great things on the field from Clemons, who has 58 sacks in 10 seasons with Washington, Oakland, Philadelphia and Seattle.

The Super Bowl champion Seahawks released Clemons in a cost-cutting move in March. He signed a four-year, $17.5 million contract with Jacksonville and is expected to start right away.

Clemons was at his best with Bradley, when he recorded 33 ½ sacks over three seasons.

And now he’s bringing explosiveness, experience and his Super Bowl ring to a team that ranked last in the NFL in total sacks last season.

“The mindset doesn’t change,” he said. “You want to bring that winning tradition here. Jacksonville is long overdue. It’s a group of young guys, and you always want to raise them and watch them grow as you watch the team grow.”

Jacksonville revamped its D-line by also signing former Seattle end Red Bryant and former Pittsburgh nose tackle Ziggy Hood, and then drafting Arkansas pass rusher Chris Smith in the fifth round.

But Clemons is the gem of the group. Last season, Clemons had only 4½ sacks as a deeper line rotation took away some of his opportunities. Clemons also was coming off a torn knee ligament sustained in the 2012 playoffs. He had 3½ sacks his first five games of 2013, but had just one sack the final nine games of the regular season.

He was, however, at his best in the Super Bowl, finishing with three tackles, two forced fumbles, a sack and a pass defended.

“If you go back and watch film last year toward the end of the season, you can tell I was already back to where I was the year before,” Clemons said. “So I don’t worry about the knee. I still take care of it every day. But other than that it doesn’t bother me at all.”

Neither did Bradley’s tirade, which Clemons said was an attempt at “getting everybody focused and bringing that energy to practice every day and understanding they have to come with it.”

Added Bradley: “We talk in terms of getting better and what it should look like. That was not what getting better looked like. I wanted to point that out to the guys so they feel it. I told them it’s our team but it’s their responsibility to step everybody up when they feel that.”

___

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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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