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Fitzpatrick ready to lead Texans

By WTOP Staff

CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — First-year coach Bill O’Brien would seem to have the star power in place to turn around the Texans in a hurry.

Andre Johnson is back. Arian Foster and Brian Cushing are healthy again. J.J. Watt now has Jadeveon Clowney to help him rush the passer.

The question now is how far quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick can take them.

Fitzpatrick signed as a free agent in March and replaced Matt Schaub, who took most of the blame for Houston’s 2-14 season and was traded to Oakland. The 31-year-old Fitzpatrick is entering his 10th season and playing for his third team in three years.

“It’s never easy right away just getting thrown into another group of guys that you don’t know anything about,” Fitzpatrick said, “but I think being in the league and having to do it multiple times has made it easier for me in terms of being able to step in here.”

The Texans could’ve taken a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, but opted for Clowney, the star pass rusher from South Carolina. The 6-foot-5, 266-pound Clowney is moving from defensive end to outside linebacker in Romeo Crennel’s 3-4 alignment and he’s getting constant pointers from Watt, the 2012 Defensive Player of the Year.

“Every day we work a little something,” Watt said. “As you’ve seen in the games, he’s a very talented player. I just try and teach him a couple of the things I’ve learned in my time in this league and ways that we can help each other because I really think it can be a lot of fun.”

Jerrell Powe will line up at nose tackle. Powe played three seasons in Kansas City when Crennel was the defensive coordinator and became head coach in 2011. Jared Crick, a fourth-round draft pick in 2012, is tabbed as the other starting defensive end.

O’Brien hired former Patriot Mike Vrabel to coach Houston’s linebackers, and Cushing returned to practice on Aug. 13. The standout inside linebacker tore a left knee ligament and broke his left leg in a Week 7 game against Kansas City. He also had his 2012 season cut short by an injury to the same knee. He got his first live snaps last weekend in Denver, 13 plays.

“I don’t know if it was rusty or just time,” Cushing said. “I felt good, and most of all just the experience getting back out there, new system, making the calls, the checks — all of that was important.”

Brooks Reed will move inside after playing outside in his first three seasons in Houston. Reed set career highs in tackles (87) and tackles for loss (nine) last season.

The secondary was a weakness, producing a league-low seven interceptions. Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson return as the starting cornerbacks and the Texans added Kendrick Lewis and Chris Clemons to bolster the safety position.

Foster, meanwhile, missed eight games last season with a back injury that required surgery. O’Brien has been playing it safe with Foster, sitting him out of the first three preseason games. Foster ran for at least 1,200 yards in the previous three seasons.

Most of the carries have gone to second-year pro Jonathan Grimes and rookie Alfred Blue, a sixth-round pick out of LSU. The Texans also signed former Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown.

Here are some things to watch for about the Texans heading into the franchise’s 13th season:

SWEARINGER’S SPOTLIGHT: Second-year safety D.J. Swearinger won’t adjust his hard-hitting style just because of a highlight that’s getting plenty of attention.

Swearinger delivered a shoulder-first shot on Wes Welker in Saturday’s preseason game in Denver, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Welker left the game with a concussion. Peyton Manning threw a touchdown pass on the next play, then ran down the field to confront Swearinger.

“I haven’t thought (to) change,” Swearinger said. “It won’t change. I’m the player that I am. That’s why I got here. It hasn’t changed since I’ve been in the league. It’s me.”

O-LINE: Brandon Brooks, who started 15 games last season at right guard, returned to practice in Denver after missing most of training camp with an undisclosed injury. His return gives Houston four of its five starters on the offensive front back from 2013. Rookie Xavier Su’a-Filo, a second-round pick, is competing with Ben Jones at left guard. Jones, a fourth-round pick in 2012, has played all 32 of his games at right guard.

KICKER’S CORNER: Shane Lechler returns for his 15th season and second with the Texans. The 38-year-old Lechler is the NFL’s all-time leader in gross punting average (47.6 yards). Last year against Arizona, he set a franchise record by averaging 58.9 yards on seven punts.

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AP NFL websites: 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
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