Skip to main content

Greene back on field as Titans work to replace CJ

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Pro Football Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Shonn Greene has done enough sitting and watching the past few months.

Now the Tennessee running back is back on the field and couldn’t be happier at how much better his right knee feels.

Greene took the first snaps Saturday in team drills at the Titans’ initial training camp practice, his first work since having arthroscopic surgery in May on the same knee that cost him five games last season. He said he felt a little rusty.

“This being my first day back I was kind of hesitant with it, but it held up for the most part and felt pretty good,” Greene said.

The Titans need the veteran to show why they gave him a three-year contract in March 2013.

Chris Johnson was cut in April and now is with the New York Jets, Greene’s old team. Greene must show he can stay healthy in Tennessee as the Titans look for someone to step up in a crowded backfield in training camp.

The Titans signed Dexter McCluster as a free agent in March and drafted Bishop Sankey out of Washington in the second round in May.

They also have Leon Washington, who’s mostly a kick returner, Jackie Battle and undrafted rookie Antonio Andrews among the eight backs in camp.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt said their roles have not been determined yet with training camp giving the Titans a better idea of how they will use the running backs.

The Titans are limiting Greene’s work to ease him back onto the field, trying to prevent the running back’s knee from flaring up again.

“The first day, it’s hard to tell anything,” Whisenhunt said. “It’s good to have him back out there. We’ll see how he progresses. The big thing is how he responds after practice, but our trainer, Todd (Toriscelli) is watching him. Going in, we had a plan for him, and we’ll see how it progresses.”

The Titans wanted Greene for his pounding running style to complement Johnson, especially in short-yardage situations. Greene hurt his knee in the season opener and missed the next five games as he recovered from arthroscopic surgery.

Greene had only one game all season with more than 10 carries, and he had 91 yards on 19 attempts at Jacksonville on Dec. 22.

“Toward the end of the season, I kind of felt like I was getting back in the swing of things,” Greene said. “I think this time this surgery went a lot better, so my knee’s feeling a lot better now.”

Greene finished with 77 carries for 295 yards and an average of 3.8 yards per attempt. It was the worst of his career and a big drop from the back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Jets.

McCluster had the best practice Saturday, using his speed to repeatedly get by defenders, and Sankey had some nice runs as well. McCluster was a Pro Bowl punt returner in Kansas City last year and is coming off a career-best 53 catches. But he combined for only 20 carries over the past two seasons combined.

Greene said he thinks opportunities for playing time are there for all the running backs with each bringing a different quality to the Titans.

“We can do different things out of the backfield, the harder it’ll be on defenses,” Greene said.

Notes: Safety George Wilson was excused Saturday because of a death in the family. Whisenhunt said the safety was expected to rejoin the team by Saturday night. … S Bernard Pollard intercepted Jake Locker twice, once in a passing drill with the second in a team session. Pollard said he planned to go by Whisenhunt’s office to trash-talk the coach after his big plays. … Rookie Taylor Lewan, the 11th pick overall, took snaps at both tackle spots and at left guard with Andy Levitre recovering from an appendectomy.

___

Online:

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

___

Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote