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QB McCown likes the way Bucs are coming together

By WTOP Staff

FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Josh McCown expects the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to be better this season. He’s just reluctant to speculate how much.

The 35-year-old quarterback is beginning his 13th NFL training camp, though it’s his first as a team’s projected starter since he was with the Arizona Cardinals in 2004.

The Bucs signed the career backup, who’s coming off the best season of his career, in March and new coach Lovie Smith is counting on him to provide steady leadership for a mostly young offense that ranked 30th in scoring and dead last in passing and total yardage en route to a 4-12 finish a year ago.

“No bold predictions. We’re just going to go out and play good football and see where that leads us,” McCown said. “But I believe if we do the things we’re asked to do, what the coaches have laid out, I think we’ll look up at the end of the year and find ourselves in a favorable position. That’s all we can do right now.”

The Bucs haven’t made the playoffs since 2007, and it’s been 12 years since they last won a postseason game.

Smith, who led the Chicago three division titles, two NFC championship games and one Super Bowl appearances during a successful nine-year run that ended after the 2012 season, was hired to change that trend.

McCown is confident he’s the right quarterback to help Smith get the franchise turned around, even though it’s been a decade since a team entered a season with him atop the depth chart.

He started 13 of 14 games he played with the Cardinals in 2004. He’s made 22 starts total since that season, including five while filling in for an injured Jay Cutler with Chicago in 2013.

The Bears won three of those games. But what really caught the attention of Smith, who spent a one-year hiatus from coaching studying film and observing from afar, was the quarterback threw for 13 touchdowns and just one interception.

The coach is not concerned that it has been so long since McCown has been first on a depth chart.

“I can only talk as the head football coach. I know Josh McCown knows how I feel about him. I trust his leadership,” Smith said. “You want your quarterback to be able to make great decisions, to know when to throw the football, when to pull it down … different things like that. He can do all those things.”

Smith and first-year general manager Jason Licht overhauled the offensive line in free agency, and the Bucs used their entire draft on offensive players for the first time in franchise history.

Receiver Vincent Jackson and running back Doug Martin are talented holdovers on offense from a year ago. The team’s first three draft picks — receiver Mike Evans, tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins and running back Charles Sims — also figure to get an opportunity to contribute right away in a system installed by Jeff Tedford, the former California head coach hired as offensive coordinator .

McCown said there’s as a good a vibe in the locker room as any he’s been around entering camp in the past.

“It’s right up there at the top, just because of everything that we’ve done through the offseason, and where the focus is, where we’re headed,” the quarterback said, adding that he has a good feeling about the makeup of the roster and how things will come together over the next few weeks.

“Every NFL team feels this way right now … but adversity is coming. It just does,” McCown said. “It does for every team in the league every year, and it’s how you handle that that really is the measure of your team. I feel we have guys that can handle those bumps and really stick together, and that’s the key.”

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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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