Skip to main content

With Chiefs’ Charles out, Davis, Gray get chances

By WTOP Staff

DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Knile Davis and Cyrus Gray got a chance to showcase themselves in the Chiefs’ preseason game in Carolina.

They may get another opportunity against Minnesota on Saturday.

Jamaal Charles was held out of practice Tuesday after the Pro Bowl running back hurt his foot in a freak accident while moving out of the dorms at Missouri Western last week.

So as training camp shifted back to Kansas City, it was Davis and Gray who were lining up for first-team snaps.

“It’s next man up,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson said. “We have the running back-by-committee right now. There are a lot of guys vying for spots.”

True, but Davis and Gray have their spots relatively secure.

Especially if Charles is still banged up by the time the regular season rolls around.

Davis ran for 240 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie last season, and showed flashes of brilliance when Charles went down with a concussion in the Chiefs’ playoff loss to Indianapolis. He ran for 67 yards and a score before leaving with an injury.

Meanwhile, Gray has proven to be a valuable member of the special teams his first seasons in the league, and now may finally get his chance to show what he can do with the offense.

He had a team-high 10 carries for 44 yards in Thursday night’s loss to the Panthers.

“I’ve seen a lot of improvement in them,” said Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson, who has had to track down both of them during 11-on-11 work in training camp.

“Cyrus has been a guy that’s running with the second or third team, and he gave me a move yesterday that I’ve got to get him back for. It’s one of those things where the level of competition from the twos and threes is going way up. And Knile, I can’t say enough about him.”

Davis arrived in Kansas City amid a swirl of questions about his health and his hands. He spent plenty of time in the training room at Arkansas, and his penchant for fumbling was a big reason why he slipped into the third round of the draft despite prototypical size and speed.

Yet aside from the injury against the Colts, Davis has been able to absorb all the bumps and bruises that come with playing running back in the NFL. And while he fumbled three times, he also showed good enough hands that special teams coach Dave Toub had him return kickoffs.

“The one thing that he did was he worked extremely hard to get himself healthy again during this offseason because of what happened to him in the playoff game,” Pederson said. “But I’m 100 percent confident in what he can do. He brings a lot to us, He’s an explosive running back, he’s a physical running back, and again, this will be a big camp for him.”

Davis said he spent much of his offseason critiquing his performance from last season.

“When I looked at myself, I wasn’t patient. That’s something I want to work on this year is being patient on blocks and getting through the holes,” he said. “You have the mindset of all the suspense, and sometimes you try to hit it too early, but the great ones are very patient.”

Patience is a good way to segue into talking about Gray, who arrived in Kansas City with little fanfare. Charles gets the majority of carries and Davis represents a bruising, change-of-pace back, and that has left Gray to spend most of his time blocking and tackling on special teams.

He has just 16 carries for 68 yards in his career.

Yet biding his time may finally be paying off. He had 10 carries for 55 yards and a score in the Chiefs’ preseason opener against Cincinnati, and had another good game against Carolina.

“Cyrus last year really was a contributor on special teams, not quite as much on offense,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “He has worked on his overall game and did some pretty good things.”

Notes: Other players not practicing Tuesday included SS Eric Berry (heel), WRs Dwayne Bowe (quad) and Junior Hemingway (hip), LBs Joe Mays (wrist) and Josh Martin (quad), OT Ryan McKee (knee) and DT Jermelle Cudjo (hamstring).

___

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