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Newly signed Babin reports, practices at Jets camp

By WTOP Staff

CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) — Jason Babin wasn’t ready to call it a career. Not when he believes he still has a few sacks left in him.

The 34-year-old pass-rushing specialist practiced with the New York Jets on Friday, a day after signing a two-year deal.

“I guess the doubt would’ve been if I wanted to ride off into the sunset and go fishing,” Babin said, smiling. “I just felt like there’s a lot of football I wanted to play yet, and when I walk away or they tell me, ‘No more,’ I want it to be on a positive note and a good situation.”

Babin signed Thursday after agreeing to terms Wednesday, shortly before the team reported for training camp at SUNY Cortland. He wore No. 58 and is listed as a linebacker, though he has also played defensive end.

He worked briefly with the starting defense, but mainly practiced with the second team.

“There’s a big learning curve, so I wasn’t as fast as I wanted to be,” Babin said, “but that’s to be expected.”

He was impressed by how, in just the team’s second practice of training camp, the defense already appeared on the same page.

“It’s like a well-oiled machine,” Babin said. “The coach is making the signals, the calls, and everybody’s helping each other. You’re like, ‘This is the way it’s supposed to be.’ It’s really exciting.”

Babin had a team-leading 7 1/2 sacks last season for Jacksonville and was released in the offseason. He has 62 1/2 career sacks in 10 NFL seasons, including a personal-best 18 in 2011 with Philadelphia.

“I think the first thing that jumps out about Babin is obviously the production he has had throughout his career as a pass rusher,” coach Rex Ryan said. “He has a relentless motor, so that part we’re excited about.”

Ryan said he has long been a fan of Babin, who will give the Jets depth on defense with another guy who can get to the quarterback. The move is reminiscent of the one New York made in 2010, when it signed an aging Jason Taylor to boost its pass rush.

“Definitely, we brought him in here to play,” Ryan said. “Not that he’s going to sit on the pine all the time. We brought this guy in to contribute.”

Babin was a first-round draft pick by Houston out of Western Michigan in 2004 and also has played for Seattle, Kansas City and Tennessee. He was claimed by Jacksonville off waivers from Philadelphia in 2012.

He voided the final two years of his contract in March to become a free agent, but re-signed with the Jaguars a few days later. Jacksonville released the two-time Pro Bowl selection after the team’s minicamp in June, but Babin wouldn’t go into details about what transpired with the Jaguars.

“Well, all I can say about that is it’s football,” Babin said. “You can’t worry about the past. I got a great opportunity out of it and a good situation and I’m happy to be here.”

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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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