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Toilolo facing challenge of replacing Gonzalez

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Levine Toilolo was at the front of the line of Falcons tight ends taking turns at a blocking sled on Sunday.

Toilolo (6-foot-8, 265) appeared to have no difficulty as he shoved the sled a few yards.

If only it were as easy for Toilolo to push aside the big question that shadows his every step through Atlanta’s training camp: Can the second-year tight end from Stanford replace Tony Gonzalez, a certain future Hall of Famer?

The Falcons have tried to take pressure off Toilolo. Quarterback Matt Ryan said no one player can replace Gonzalez.

“Certainly he had a unique skill set really in the history of the NFL,” Ryan said of Gonzalez. “He’s one of the tight ends who really revolutionized the position to come from basketball and use that skill set to be a receiver.

“I think we’ll have a combination of guys fill in for the skill set he had and certainly schematically you’ve got to change some of the things that you do because some of the things Tony was good at don’t necessarily fit in with some of the guys that we have. We’ll make some adjustments and some new wrinkles for some of the new guys, to play to their strengths. But we need to find some production that we’re going to miss that Tony provided.”

Gonzalez caught 83 passes for 859 yards and a team-leading eight touchdowns in 2013. Toilolo had 11 catches for 55 yards in his backup role as a rookie.

In a possibly promising preview of Toilolo’s potential as a red-zone target, two of his catches were for touchdowns.

The Falcons added some veteran help in the offseason including Bear Pascoe, who made six starts for the New York Giants last season. Another newcomer is Mickey Shuler, who started two games for Miami in 2010. Rookies Brian Wozniak and Jacob Pedersen, each from Wisconsin, also are competing for spots.

Toilolo remains the favorite to start. He said he never forgets the player he’s following and acknowledged some pressure accompanies that challenge.

“I think at the back of your mind you know it’s there but at the same time everybody is doing a great job of picking up the slack,” Toilolo said. “They’re not really placing it on one person. You can’t really do that with a guy like Tony and the career he’s had and the production he’s had.”

Ryan said he sees Toilolo making an impact close to the goal line, as a receiver and a blocker with his improved strength.

“We’ve started to install some of our red zone stuff and I think that’s an area where he can be successful,” Ryan said. “He’s a big guy with long arms. I think we can use him in a matchup. I think he’s improved strength-wise a lot in the offseason. I’ve been watching him block a little bit and play the position and he’s improved from last year. I think he’s handled things the right way.”

Smith said more players than just the tight ends much help in replacing Gonzalez.

“Tony has been a very productive player his entire career and especially here in Atlanta, so there might be multiple tight ends that might get touches and also we might distribute the ball to other players,” Smith said. “So other players, not necessarily tight ends, might have more opportunities to get touches.”

NOTES: The Falcons had no immediate update on OT Terren Jones, who was carted off the practice field and taken to an area hospital with an unknown injury. Jones was placed in a neck brace. … DE Ra’Shede Hageman left practice with an apparent hand or wrist injury following a fight with C Joe Hawley. Smith said he’ll stress ending the trend of fights in this year’s training camp. … S Tyrell Johnson had his first practice after signing with the team earlier in the day. The team needed more depth at the position after S Dwight Lowery left Friday night’s scrimmage with a concussion. Lowery missed most of the 2013 season with Jacksonville with a concussion. Johnson, a second-round pick by Minnesota in 2008, played four seasons with the Vikings. He played four games with Detroit in 2012.

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

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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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