Skip to main content

Carr returns to practice for Raiders

By WTOP Staff

JOSH DUBOW
AP Sports Writer

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Raiders rookie quarterback Derek Carr returned to practice three days after being knocked out of a preseason game with a concussion and sore ribs.

Carr practiced on a limited basis Monday and his status for the upcoming exhibition game in Green Bay on Friday night remains a question.

Carr got hurt in the fourth quarter last Friday against Detroit when he was hit from behind by Larry Webster. Carr got up and immediately pointed at his ribs but later said the concussion was more of a concern. Carr has never had a concussion previously in his career.

“I never had one ever so it’s a little scary to me,” he said. “Obviously, I’m feeling a lot better now than I was. I’m just looking forward to taking it day by day. Obviously, it’s a slow process. Just progressing as the week goes on.”

Carr played well before the injury and even got one drive with the starting offensive line and receivers after starter Matt Schaub left the game.

“It was exciting,” he said. “I was screaming out plays. I was way too loud, they told me to calm down a little bit. It was great. It was good experience to be in with them. It’s only the second game. I have a long way to get better.”

Carr lamented one throw in particular, when he overthrew Brian Leonhardt on a seam pattern on his first pass attempt of the game. Carr said he might have been too excited on that throw and his mechanics got out of whack. But Carr recovered to complete 9 of 16 passes for 109 yards and he threw a TD pass to Jake Murphy.

Playing mostly against second-teamers, Carr fared better than Schaub did against the Lions’ first-string defense.

Schaub has led the Raiders to one score in seven drives over the first two exhibition games as Oakland’s first-team offense has struggled to find any consistency. Schaub has completed 11 of 20 passes for 108 yards, one interception and no touchdowns for a passer rating of 49.6.

“How our offense goes is how the quarterback goes,” Schaub said. “Just be more consistent in what we’re doing.”

Schaub has faced an unusual amount of blitzing for the preseason with defenses bringing extra rushers on more than half of his dropbacks so far, according to Pro Football Focus.

That has forced Schaub to get rid of the ball quickly, with only three of his passes — and none of his completions — going more than 10 yards downfield.

Neither Schaub nor coach Dennis Allen is too concerned about the play of the first-team offense in the first two preseason games. But they expect a better performance in the dress rehearsal Friday against Green Bay.

“Do I think we need to be able to go out and execute and make some plays? I think that’s something that we’d all like to see,” Allen said. “A little bit more consistency would probably be the right term for what I’m looking for offensively. We’ve gone out and made some plays and done some nice things. We just haven’t been as consistent as we need to be and this would be a good week to get better at that.”

NOTES: FB Marcel Reese (right foot) was scheduled to have an MRI. … TE Scott Simonson (concussion) was back at practice while WR Brice Butler, DT Justin Ellis and OL Matt McCants remain sidelined by concussions. … CB DJ Hayden, who has been out with a stress fracture in his foot since May, worked out on the side.

___

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

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