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Cowboys facing uncertainty with shaky defense

By WTOP Staff

SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Brandon Carr should make his preseason debut Saturday night in Miami after missing the first two weeks of training camp to be with his ailing mother before she died of breast cancer.

Fellow Dallas cornerback Morris Claiborne’s outlook is less certain because of a shoulder problem, and newcomers Henry Melton and Terrell McClain are unlikely to play at defensive tackle because of injuries.

The Dallas defense was significantly better against Baltimore after a weak preseason debut in San Diego. Uncertainty, though, is making it difficult for the Cowboys to see what they really have coming off a dismal 2013 season.

It doesn’t help that cornerback Orlando Scandrick will miss the first four games of the regular season because of a drug suspension.

“So, OK, we get all that, but now what do we do?” coach Jason Garrett said Monday. “We anticipate Brandon practicing this week, anticipate Mo being back relatively quickly. And then we get a good look at those young corners. The other part of it is we have to evaluate from a scheme standpoint what we want to do based on who we have.”

Garrett basically ripped the defense after a 27-7 loss to the Chargers in the preseason opener, even though most of the starters were missing. He was much more pleased after Saturday’s 37-30 loss to the Ravens.

The Cowboys forced punts two of the first three times Joe Flacco had the ball, and the only touchdown drive led by the Baltimore starter was kept alive by a roughing-the-passer penalty that Dallas thought was questionable enough to send to the league for review.

On the flip side, that TD drive ended up going 96 yards — with rookie cornerback Terrance Mitchell getting beat for the score — and the second-team defense offered little resistance on a touchdown drive to start the second half.

“I thought we simply made more stops than we did the previous game against San Diego,” Garrett said. “Obviously we’ve got to get better in a lot of different areas and we’ve got to get some of these guys back to see them play.”

Rolando McClain, a top 10 pick by Oakland four years ago, made his preseason debut for Dallas and was the leading tackler. Owner Jerry Jones keeps heaping praise on the player who twice quit on Baltimore before the Cowboys traded for him to give them another option to replace the injured Sean Lee going into training camp.

Garrett said McClain would continue to get looks in practice as the first-team middle linebacker, which would shift Justin Durant, the expected starter in place of Lee, to the weak side.

“At the end of the day, we need to find our three best linebackers and our best combination of those guys to start for us in base, and then there are some roles in nickel as well,” Garrett said. “So we’ll continue to work the different looks and the different combinations and see what looks best.”

George Selvie will start at left defensive end, and free agent Jeremy Mincey is leading the mix on the right side with rookie second-round pick DeMarcus Lawrence out until midseason after breaking his foot at camp in California. Martez Wilson is among those getting a look at right end.

The only position that appears somewhat stable is safety, where Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox are expected to start. Church got his first preseason action against the Ravens.

With Melton unlikely to play against the Dolphins, Garrett said there was a strong chance he would see the field against Denver in the preseason finale, normally a game that starters skip as a precaution. Melton is coming off a knee injury that sidelined him most of last season in Chicago.

“We would love to have him play,” Garrett said. “There’s no question about that.”

NOTES: LB DeVonte Holloman is still be evaluated for a neck injury. He missed seven games last season because of a spinal contusion. … TE Gavin Escobar injured his shoulder against the Ravens, but Garrett said he didn’t think it was a long-term issue.

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Online:

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Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler

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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