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Healthy Murray clear leader of Cowboys’ run game

By WTOP Staff

SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP) — After DeMarco Murray fumbled his first carry of the season, the Dallas Cowboys sure didn’t stop giving him the ball.

They didn’t even hand off to another running back.

Now that Murray has been mostly healthy for almost two years, the bruising back rules the running game for the Cowboys.

“There’s no question he’s the main guy, he’s the bell cow guy and he’s certainly capable of doing that,” coach Jason Garrett said. “DeMarco’s capable of taking the ball 20-25 times a game, throwing it to him and doing a lot of things we’re going to ask a running back to do.”

The fourth-year player who set a franchise record with 253 yards rushing the first time he was the featured back as a rookie in 2011 is now piling up the starts without an injury getting in the way.

Murray missed two games with a mild knee sprain last season, but he’s started 20 of the past 22 games after sitting out nine times in a 14-game stretch that covered the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

He had an injury-plagued college career at Oklahoma, so there was nothing to suggest the Cowboys could lean heavily on him. There is now with him heading into Sunday’s game at Tennessee looking for his ninth career 100-yard game.

“I feel like I’ve worked hard in the offseason and during the season to make sure I can handle whatever they throw at me,” said Murray, who bounced back from the fumble to finish with 118 yards and a touchdown in a 28-17 loss to San Francisco. “Whatever you want to call it.”

Murray spent plenty of offseason time working out with nine-time Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten. He was trying to build on a strong second half of last season that included the second back-to-back 100-yard games of his career and his first Pro Bowl.

“He’s eager to learn. He’s humble,” Witten said. “I think he’s got a real bright future and obviously our offense’s success I think is going to start with him running the football.”

Murray’s backup, Lance Dunbar, is a specialty player who caught three passes but didn’t get a carry. Receiver Dwayne Harris had the only other rushing play on a sweep when he lined up behind quarterback Tony Romo.

With 22 carries, Murray finished four shy of his career high. But it was the first time the Cowboys lost in 12 games where Murray had at least 20 carries.

Part of the problem was his tone-setting fumble on the game’s second play, when the ball was stripped just before he hit the ground. Chris Culliver picked up the loose ball and ran 35 yards untouched to the end zone.

“When I make mistakes, I wouldn’t say I don’t care about them, but you’ve got to have a short memory,” Murray said. “You can’t worry about great plays or bad plays. They’re going to happen.”

Murray also isn’t dwelling on 2014 being the final year of his rookie contract. Receiver Dez Bryant appears to be higher priority for the Cowboys, and they couldn’t get a new deal done before the season started.

If Bryant stays true to previous comments that he won’t negotiate during the season, there’s a greater chance Murray will reach the open market not long after he turns 27.

“All I can control is how hard I work every day and on Sundays,” said Murray, who had career highs with 1,121 yards and nine touchdowns last season. “It’s something I’m not worried about. Never will be. That will take care of itself.”

Emmitt Smith was the last Dallas running back with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons — a streak of 11 straight that ended in 2002. The league’s all-time rushing leader was also the last with 300 carries in a season for the Cowboys.

Both of those benchmarks are within Murray’s reach if he plays all 16 games for the first time.

“There’s no magic number for me,” Murray said. “Whatever they give to me, I’ll handle and take with a smile.”

He’s got a monopoly among Dallas backs so far.

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Online:

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

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Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler

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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