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Jets will fly as far as Geno Smith takes them

By WTOP Staff

DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Geno Smith has noticed his teammates responding differently to him these days.

A year ago, he was merely a wide-eyed rookie trying to find his way in the NFL. Now, he’s the undisputed starting quarterback of the New York Jets.

Smith is brimming with confidence, and with that comes increased respect in the locker room. The bottom line, though, is the success — or failure — of Rex Ryan’s team could depend on Smith’s performance this season.

“You can only inspire the guys and you can only be that leader if you are on top of your game and you know what you’re doing,” Smith said. “I appreciate the fact that they have always stuck with me and they have always been confident in me because they’ve seen the way that I can bounce back from a tough game.”

He had plenty of those last season, when he threw 12 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions. But Smith also had some promising moments, particularly during a four-game stretch in which the Jets went 3-1 to end the season 8-8 and saved Ryan’s job.

The Jets went into the offseason determined to give Smith every opportunity to show he deserved to be the starter. They also brought in Michael Vick to push Smith, as well as to mentor him — and to be ready to step in if Smith struggled.

Well, Smith hasn’t flinched.

Even with a still-effective Vick eager to show he’s still one of the most dynamic players in the NFL. Smith got nearly 80 percent of the snaps with the first-team offense in training camp and played well enough to not force Ryan and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg to stray from the plan.

“His composure under pressure is definitely showing up this year,” wide receiver Jeremy Kerley said. “He’s showing he won’t be rattled in pressure situations. Just his learning ability has taken over.”

Smith has also become more vocal on the field, and his understanding of the offense has improved. Vick has liked what he has seen from Smith, too, even if that means he’ll be kept on the sideline more than he’d like.

“Geno’s working extremely hard to be the best quarterback that he can be in this game,” Vick said. “You see guys around the league around his age going out having success and doing some good things for their ballclubs and I think he wants to fall right into that echelon.”

Here are a few other things to watch this season:

REX RELOADED: Ryan received a multiyear extension during the offseason that could keep him in New York through at least the 2016 season. The heat’s still on, though.

If the Jets miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season — the longest drought in owner Woody Johnson’s tenure since taking over in 2000 — Ryan could be the scapegoat. If Smith doesn’t progress, the Jets could be in the market for a new coach, a new quarterback and starting from scratch. Again.

CORNERING THE MARKET: After Smith, the most important players are in Ryan’s secondary. Or, maybe more accurately, those who aren’t there.

Starting cornerback Dee Milliner might not be ready for the season opener while recovering from a high ankle sprain. The status of Dimitri Patterson, expected to be the other starter, is uncertain after he was suspended indefinitely by the team for going AWOL and not showing up for a preseason game. Third-round pick Dexter McDougle is out for the year with a torn knee ligament.

General manager John Idzik could be looking for reinforcements after cutdown day.

“Absolutely, no excuses one way or the other,” Ryan said. “I believe that we will be just fine.”

SAVE THE DATE: The cornerbacks, whoever they might be, will be thrust into the spotlight quickly.

After opening the season against Oakland, the Jets take on six straight potentially potent offenses: Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit, San Diego, Denver and New England. New York will know a lot more about where it stands after that tough stretch in the schedule.

NEW PLAYMAKERS: Smith and the offense could be forced into some scoring slugfests if the secondary struggles.

The Jets should be a bit more dangerous with wide receiver Eric Decker, running back Chris Johnson and rookie tight end Jace Amaro. New York might have one of the league’s top backfield trios with Johnson, Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell. Decker, after catching passes from Peyton Manning in Denver the past two seasons, gives the Jets a legitimate top receiver to pair with the sure-handed Kerley.

‘SONS OF ANARCHY: Led by Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Damon Harrison, the Jets’ defensive line is expected to be a force again. All three are Pro Bowl-caliber players, capable of disrupting offenses.

That could take some pressure off the secondary if they can stifle the run and get to the quarterback, something linebackers Quinton Coples, Calvin Pace and Jason Babin will be counted on to do.

___

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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