Skip to main content

Malcolm Smith back to practice for Seahawks

By WTOP Staff

CURTIS CRABTREE
Associated Press

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Malcolm Smith tracked the eyes of quarterback Tarvaris Jackson and leapt into the air, snagging the football with one hand for an interception before racing 60 yards in the opposite direction for a touchdown.

Earl Thomas, K.J. Wright and other members of Seattle’s defense chased Smith to the end zone, shouting “MVP! MVP!”

Not a bad first full day back on the practice field for Seattle’s Super Bowl MVP.

“That was a terrific play by him,” defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said. “It’s awesome to have him back out here.”

Smith has been sidelined throughout the entire offseason while recovering from ankle surgery this spring. He showed Tuesday that he’s itching to get back to work with his teammates.

“You come off a pretty good game — we did some great stuff in the Super Bowl — and then (the offseason) was just a lull for me,” Smith said. “A lot of down time. A lot of watching and a lot of learning. Dealing with my own emotions and stuff every day. It was good to get out here today and start moving around a little bit.”

While Smith had been able to participate in walkthroughs with the team, he was held out of practice until this week. Smith was limited on Monday before taking on a larger workload Tuesday. His leaping interception was the highlight of practice for the Seahawks.

“He made a cameo appearance and showed what MVPs do,” linebackers coach Ken Norton said. “It was really good for him to get some work, some good positive work, and now his confidence is back where it was before and we’re excited about putting good days together for him to play this week.”

Smith may not play this Friday in Seattle’s third preseason game against the Chicago Bears, but he is on track to be ready by the start of the regular season.

“If we had a game today, I feel like I could play,” Smith said. “So, you know, I’ll just keep building from there and try to get the most out of my ankle.”

A former seventh-round draft pick, Smith has continued to develop into a trusted member of the Seahawks defense. Norton and head coach Pete Carroll recruited Smith to USC in 2007. After Carroll left USC for the Seahawks in 2010, Smith was again reunited with his old coaching staff when he was selected with the 242nd pick of the 2011 draft.

“He’s been with us forever, since like fourth grade it seems,” Carroll joked. “He’s a real fixture in our defense. We love his flexibility. He’s such a great playmaker so it’s great to get him back.”

Smith played in 15 regular-season games for Seattle last season, making eight starts. He racked up 54 tackles, two interceptions, a sack and a forced fumble during the regular season, but took his game to another level in the playoffs.

In the NFC championship against the San Francisco 49ers, Smith hauled in an interception on a tipped pass by Richard Sherman that clinched the 23-17 victory for the Seahawks. Then in the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos, Smith returned a deflected Peyton Manning pass 69 yards for a touchdown and recovered a fumble by Demaryius Thomas. He also recorded 10 tackles.

___

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