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Falcons’ Carimi may make first career start at LT

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — One week ago, Gabe Carimi was being groomed to be the Falcons’ version of John Havlicek who could play backup roles across the offensive line.

Now Carimi appears bound for his first career start at left tackle.

Carimi replaced injured rookie left tackle Jake Matthews late in the first half of last week’s 37-34 overtime win over New Orleans. He played well enough to help Atlanta set a team record for total yards while allowing only one sack.

“That’s just how it is on every position on every team in the league — it’s the next player in,” Carimi said Thursday. “You always have to just go in there and do your job. That’s why you’re there.”

Matthews, still recovering from his left ankle injury, did not practice on Thursday. Carimi and right tackle Lamar Holmes are the likely starters Sunday at Cincinnati, though coach Mike Smith said there will be more “clarity” on Matthews’ status on Friday.

Carimi started at almost every offensive line spot except left tackle in his first three seasons with Chicago and Tampa Bay.

In the spirit of Havlicek, who starred in the sixth-man role for the NBA’s Boston Celtics, Smith had a plan to take advantage of Carimi’s versatility this season.

For the Falcons, the scary part of the plan was that left tackle was far down on Carimi’s list of positions. Maybe it wasn’t even on the list. He said Thursday he hadn’t taken a snap at left tackle in Atlanta’s practices for the Saints.

“Gabe had to step into a role that he wasn’t really fully prepared for, but I thought he did an outstanding job,” Smith said.

“Gabe was our John Havlicek going into the game last week. He was going to be the first guy in at all positions except for the center position. Unfortunately for us with the injury with Jake he had to play the left tackle position, but I thought he did a nice job.”

Carimi said he leaned on his college experience, when he made 49 starts at left tackle at Wisconsin. He was the Outland Trophy winner, given to the nation’s top interior lineman, as a senior.

“I didn’t take any pass sets or any plays at left tackle,” Carimi said of last week’s practice. “But I played left tackle for five years (in college), so I had a pretty good basis for knowing the sets and everything.”

Carimi drew three penalties, including two for false starts, against the Saints. For Smith, the key how well the unit protected quarterback Matt Ryan, who threw for 448 yards and three touchdowns.

“He’ll get a lot more snaps this week at the left tackle position,” Smith said. “He’ll be prepared to even play better.”

One month ago, Atlanta’s projected starters were Sam Baker at left tackle and Matthews at right tackle. Baker suffered a season-ending right knee injury in the preseason, forcing Matthews’ move to the left side.

Holmes and Carimi might have had a close competition to replace Matthews at right tackle, but Carimi missed the first three preseason games with an ankle injury.

The line earned compliments from other players.

“All those guys were ready to step in,” said receiver Julio Jones. “Sam went down and we moved Jake over. Then Jake just went down and we brought up Gabe. Those guys haven’t missed a beat. They’ve been doing a great job enabling us to get the ball down the field.”

NOTES: WR Roddy White, who was limited in Wednesday’s practice with a minor knee injury, said Thursday he is “feeling really good” though he again was listed as limited. … Matthews was the only player held out of practice.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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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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