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49ers ready to fill big void for injured Bowman

By WTOP Staff

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Willis hollered at pal NaVorro Bowman a few days back to keep him in the mix, even if the star linebacker was a bystander as his teammates endured their Day 1 conditioning tests.

Willis is so accustomed to running through drills right alongside Bowman that 49ers training camp seems a bit strange without his position mate and close friend.

Bowman is expected to miss at least half the season as he recovers from a devastating left knee injury sustained in the NFC championship game loss to the rival Seahawks.

“We were out there doing a conditioning test and I looked over and he was watching us do our conditioning test and I wanted to just yell at him, ‘Bo, what’s up, man?'” Willis said. “I don’t want to put more on him than what he already has on his shoulders already. I know that he wants to be out there more than anything.”

There are a handful of candidates in the mix to fill that huge void left by No. 53.

“I don’t see it as daunting at all,” linebacker Michael Wilhoite said Friday. “I see it as a great opportunity for somebody else to step up and make a name for themselves. … You have to embrace the fact we’re not replacing Joe Schmo. We’re replacing the best. So that means you have to be the best.”

Bowman tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments and underwent surgery, and the 49ers must try to make up for the vacancy on one of the NFL’s most vaunted defenses.

“I’m doing great,” Bowman said with a smile as he entered Levi’s Stadium.

It helps to have Willis and everybody else supporting him every step.

“I want him to take his time. Most of all I want to make sure when he comes back that he’s ready to go and he doesn’t have any setbacks. He’s a great athlete and he still has a lot of football ahead,” Willis said, noting his unit will be “working as we do every year to try to be the best linebacking corps there is in the National Football League.”

Bowman is doing his own intense conditioning regimen.

Coach Jim Harbaugh is pleased with Bowman’s progress. He has been running and will soon be testing the knee with cutting.

“That’ll be next in that process. Talked to him yesterday about it. Positive,” said Harbaugh, who wouldn’t guess when Bowman might be back. “NaVorro is the cream-of-the-crop of the athletes, professional athletes, on a football team. … Very hopeful. Very optimistic. Knowing NaVorro the way I do, nothing would surprise me if it’s sooner than that. That would not be a surprise when you’re talking about NaVorro.”

The Niners also could be without linebacker Aldon Smith, who is expected to meet soon with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about a possible suspension from the league for his legal troubles.

Wilhoite started two games last season and will again have a chance to fill a big void in the middle until Bowman is healthy. For now, Wilhoite is a contender to start, yet there could be mixing and matching in packages with Corey Lemonier, Nick Moody and even rookies Chris Borland and Shayne Skov, who has played in this system at Stanford.

“It’s an advantage for him in that he knows he can go out there and play in an NFL game,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said of Wilhoite.

“At times it will be challenging. Any time you lose two great players somebody’s got to go in there and do the job. We don’t expect those guys going in there to be as good as those two guys are. They’re at the top of their profession. But we’ll find a way.”

With a healthy Justin Smith fueling a fearsome front seven, he knows the linebackers will do their part no matter the personnel.

“It’s never good to lose a guy like NaVorro for experience. It’s part of it,” Smith said. “A guy goes down, a guy’s got to step up. We’ve got some young guys in there and some other guys who have been around that hopefully come into that position and play well. We’ve got all the confidence in them.”

NOTES: Chris Culliver and Tramaine Brock are the CBs working with the first team for now — and it’s their job to lose. Culliver is looking to bounce back after missing last season. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee sustained during training camp last August and was in line to be a starter. “I didn’t see any indication that this is a guy that just came off a yearlong rehab,” Fangio said of Culliver’s Day 1 on Thursday. … Of rookie first-round pick S Jimmie Ward, Fangio said, “He’s confident without being cocky or arrogant.” … RB Kendall Hunter, Frank Gore’s backup, sustained what appeared to be a non-contact right knee injury but was able to walk off the field on his own.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org

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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