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Cowboys looking at many options without Sean Lee

By WTOP Staff

SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Justin Durant was as sick as anyone to see Sean Lee go down with a torn knee ligament in the first offseason practice for the Dallas Cowboys.

To suggest the injury gives Durant an opportunity to be the starting middle linebacker sort of turns the eight-year veteran’s stomach.

“It hurt me seriously to my core,” Durant said of the left ACL injury that is likely to keep Lee out in 2014. “I just look at it as my trying to step up and fill some big shoes.”

Durant isn’t the only option under consideration by the Cowboys, who still haven’t specified Lee’s injury or said how long they expect him to be sidelined.

Fourth-round pick Anthony Hitchens wasn’t far behind Durant for the start of the second week of offseason practice Monday, the same day Hitchens signed his rookie contract. And second-year player DeVonte Holloman worked off to the side, nursing a sore hamstring. If one of those three isn’t at the center of the Dallas defense in the season opener against San Francisco in about three months, it will probably be someone off the streets.

The Cowboys aren’t in a hurry to decide.

“I don’t have timetables,” linebackers coach Matt Eberflus said. “I really don’t. Like I said, just working with who’s on the grass.”

Durant and Holloman started the last three games of 2013 after Lee was sidelined by a neck injury.

Durant made the first of those three starts before a hamstring injury sidelined him. Holloman took the last two, and had the first two sacks of his career in the season finale against Philadelphia.

But Holloman hasn’t made it the practice field this offseason because of a hamstring injury after the sixth-round pick missed seven games his rookie season with a neck problem. And he was drafted as an outside linebacker.

“The reason he’s valuable is he’s got position flex,” Eberflus said. “Where he fits in the lineup I’m not sure yet. But he’ll decide that with his play.”

A year after coming to Dallas as a free agent who figured to be a backup, Durant finds himself by far the most experienced option to replace Lee. And that could mean a more vocal role for a guy who blended into the background his first year with the Cowboys.

“Sean of course is a huge leader on our defense,” said Durant, who has started 74 of 89 games in his first seven years. “I’m going to be me but I’m also going to step up and I’m going step in and do some things sometimes.”

Hitchens was drafted a couple of rounds earlier than most projections, with Dallas thinking about insurance after Lee missed almost half the previous two seasons with injuries. The Cowboys didn’t figure on having to cash in on that policy so quickly.

“I just take it as this is my job and this is what they brought me in here for,” Hitchens said. “I signed up for this. I usually don’t look ahead.”

If he’s looking ahead, coach Jason Garrett isn’t saying. The coach wouldn’t rule out a return in 2014 by Lee, who has missed 18 games in four seasons with hamstring, wrist, toe and neck injuries.

“We feel like we have more guys to start with than we had last year at this time,” Garrett said. “We want to be sure those guys get an opportunity to show us what they can do. We’re also trying to find the best three linebackers.”

The Cowboys won’t be settling on those three anytime soon.

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Online:

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Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler

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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