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Former Trojans battle for Eagles’ No. 2 job

By WTOP Staff

ROB MAADDI
AP Pro Football Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Matt Barkley followed Mark Sanchez at USC and set school records in nearly every statistical passing category.

The former Trojans are teammates now, and they’re battling for the same job.

Sanchez, a 2009 first-round pick who led the New York Jets to consecutive AFC championship games in his first two NFL seasons, signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in March. Nick Foles is the starter after a sensational breakout year, so Sanchez will compete with Barkley for the backup spot.

“If my role is going to be to help Nick get ready for the season, help Nick get ready for Week 1 or preseason games, I’m going to be ready for whatever they need me to do,” Sanchez said during his first organized team activities with his new team. “It’s nice to be with somebody like Nick who really works hard, who wants to compete, who wants to throw a couple extra after practice.”

Sanchez spent last season on injured reserve after tearing the labrum in his right shoulder in a preseason game. Geno Smith took over as the starter for the Jets, and they signed Michael Vick from the Eagles early in free agency, making Sanchez expendable.

He quickly landed in Philadelphia, where he gets a chance to play in Chip Kelly’s up-tempo offense. Sanchez saw it in college from the opposite sideline when Kelly coached at Oregon.

“I think what they did last year was just the tip of the iceberg for these guys,” Sanchez said. “If we continue to work, if we continue to improve, that was the real enticing thing.”

Barkley was pressed into action as a rookie when Foles and Vick were injured last year. He threw four interceptions and lost a fumble in four quarters over two games.

He’s far more comfortable this time around.

“It feels like my offense now,” he said. “Last year, it felt like it was Oregon’s offense. It feels like the offense that I’ve been running for a while now. All of the calls, all the checks, it just comes to you quickly without having to think about it now.”

Barkley could’ve been a top-five pick if he left school after his junior year, but he returned as a Heisman Trophy front-runner with a chance to lead USC to a national championship. Neither happened, and Barkley finished his career watching his teammates play in a bowl game from the sideline with his arm in a sling after a shoulder injury.

There were questions about his arm strength last year, but Barkley said he’s pain-free and feels fine now.

“I feel like I have more torque, more velocity on the ball,” he said. “I feel confident in being able to put it anywhere I need to.”

Barkley rewrote the conference record book during a USC-record 47 starts over four seasons, becoming the Pac-12’s leader in touchdown passes, yards passing, completions and total offense. He impressed Kelly in four games against Oregon and was selected in the fourth round.

Foles, a third-round pick by Andy Reid just a year earlier, began the year as Vick’s backup before taking over in October. Foles led the Eagles to the NFC East title and threw 29 touchdowns and only two interceptions in 11 starts, including a playoff loss to New Orleans. He also had the third-highest passer rating (119.2) in league history.

But with injuries always a risk, Kelly wanted depth behind Foles.

“With the quarterback specifically, I’ve said it all along you better have two,” Kelly said. “You look at Aaron Rodgers. Peyton Manning missed a year. Tom Brady missed a year.”

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi

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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