Skip to main content

Titans RB Greene practices after knee scare

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Pro Football Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Titans running back Shonn Greene says his right knee didn’t hurt during practice Monday, his first workout since it was briefly bent the wrong way in a preseason game.

Greene has had two arthroscopic surgeries on that knee within the past year since getting hurt in the opener last season, costing him five games. He had a second procedure in May.

He went down in the second quarter of a 31-24 loss in New Orleans. Greene went to the bench, and he says he felt much better after a few minutes. The play happened so fast that Greene said he wasn’t worried or scared.

“It was just a bang-bang thing,” Greene said. “I just kind of hit on the turf, and it got bent and I was all right.”

The Titans need Greene, who has 13 rushes for 66 yards this preseason, as they go with a committee approach at running back after cutting Chris Johnson in April. He’s the veteran in the second year of a three-year contract signed in March 2013 working with Dexter McCluster and rookie Bishop Sankey.

Greene has not been wearing a brace on his right knee, and he said he doesn’t like anything restricting him. He’s trying to become comfortable enough running hard without thinking about his knee.

“That’s the challenge thinking about it,” Greene said. “When you don’t want to think about it, you think about it. That’s the challenge, just trying to go out there and play football.”

Backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst watched practice Monday, resting a sore finger injured when sacked in the Saints’ loss. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said he doesn’t anticipate Whitehurst’s finger being an issue. Mettenberger finished up the game after Whitehurst was hurt and was 20 of 25 for 269 yards and two touchdowns. The rookie did fumble and was intercepted.

“It’s the opportunity for Zach and Jake (Locker) to get more work,” Whisenhunt said. “Charlie has been doing great. We just felt like it was better to let him take the day off today.”

Notes: With the first cuts looming Aug. 26, the Titans have not made a move yet to put LB Colin McCarthy on injured reserve. He had been scheduled for a second opinion on his injured left shoulder Monday with surgery Tuesday, but he tweeted a picture of himself Friday saying surgery went great.

___

Online:

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