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Dawson eager to get back out kicking after misses

By WTOP Staff

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Phil Dawson converted 49 of his 50 pregame kicks, even a pair of 58-yard field goals going from each direction.

That’s about as accurate as San Francisco’s veteran place kicker has been in recent years.

So it was a bit startling to watch as he sailed his only two chances during Sunday’s 34-0 loss to Denver wide right — first from 55 yards then again from 44.

Dawson planned to return to Levi’s Stadium on Tuesday afternoon to get back to work learning a new field and its quirks.

“Honestly, I don’t know that I’m going to have that place figured out any time soon,” Dawson said. “The best you can do is show up on those game days and figure out a way to get them through. A lot of information was gathered Sunday, in a painful way. I would have enjoyed to learn differently, but I’ll take every kick I can get in there.”

The grass, like with any new sod, is still getting its roots established and has come up in places. It is dry in others. Not that Dawson is complaining about the conditions, given he can now walk some 100 yards from the practice fields to the stadium to kick.

He never had that luxury at Candlestick Park, where he missed one of his first attempts last August, also against the Broncos.

“I got off to a slow start there, too, and then kind of halfway got confident in what I was doing there. I expect the same to happen here.”

The 39-year-old Dawson had only kicked four times in the new $1.2 billion stadium before missing the two first-half kicks.

“It only took me about 10 years to get comfortable in Cleveland,” he joked. “We’ll see how long it takes here.”

In his first year with the 49ers following 14 seasons in Cleveland, Dawson converted 32 of 36 field goals and set a franchise record with 27 successful field goals in a row. He was rewarded with a new two-year contract in March.

“We know Phil, he’s got to make those kicks. He’s going to make those kicks,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “It’s another part of everybody playing together as a unit and making sure the protection is sound and the snap is good, the hold is good and the kick is good. All of those things have to work together and it didn’t on the first long one. All areas we know are correctable. We’ll count on Phil to make those kicks.”

Dawson understands plenty about the growth of grass, new or old. He grew up mowing lawns and doing other yard work and still enjoys gardening.

While there might not be the tricky winds off San Francisco Bay and ever-changing conditions of Candlestick, there are still elements.

“One thing we’re going to run into around here is your pregame warmup, we come out around 11:30 and the wind hasn’t really picked up,” Dawson said. “Anyone who lives around here knows the wind starts generally around 1 p.m. What you learn in pregame may not necessarily help you at all once the game starts.”

Dawson said farewell to his wife and three kids earlier Tuesday as they headed home to Austin, Texas, for the school year.

Then, it was back to business with his special teams mates preparing for Sunday’s home game with San Diego.

“We’ve been in there a lot. He’s made the kicks, no problem, no issues whether he will or not,” punter and holder Andy Lee said. “Things happen. Luckily he got them away in the preseason. I don’t see any reason of concern at all. He’ll get it straight, get it figured out and we won’t have to worry about it.”

Notes: The Niners signed injured DL Glenn Dorsey to a two-year contract extension through 2016. … S Antoine Bethea is going through the concussion protocol following his injury Sunday, and there’s no timetable for his return. … QB Colin Kaepernick said a foot injury he dealt with most of last season didn’t require offseason surgery, only rest. … Harbaugh announced WR Michael Crabtree is in Texas, where he welcomed son, Michael. “Didn’t get a wing span on him yet,” the coach cracked. … As RG Alex Boone continues his holdout for a new contract with two years remaining on his previous deal, Harbaugh expressed his confidence in replacement Joe Looney. “We believe in Joe Looney, we believe we can win with Joe Looney,” Harbaugh said. He wouldn’t say whether he has spoken to Boone, and declined to discuss the situation. … Harbaugh said RT Anthony Davis would return to individual work during Tuesday’s practice as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery.

___

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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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