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Injuries force changes in Lions’ secondary

By WTOP Staff

DAVE HOGG
Associated Press

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Lions rookie Nevin Lawson was supposed to get a quiet introduction to the NFL on Monday night.

It didn’t quite work out that way.

When starting cornerback Bill Bentley tore his ACL early in the game, Lawson was thrown immediately into the fire against Eli Manning, Victor Cruz and the Giants, and he’ll remain there this Sunday against Cam Newton and the Panthers.

“We weren’t expecting Nevin to play that much, obviously, but every player on our roster knows that they are one play away from being on the field,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “He did a nice job out there, and he’s trying to learn as fast and as well as he can to be ready for the Panthers.”

The shortage of defensive backs was a particular problem against the Giants because Detroit spent almost every snap in the nickel defense. That meant Lawson was on the field for every play, not just in passing situations.

“It felt like I was OK,” he said Thursday. “There were some things that I saw on the film that I need to work on, but it wasn’t bad. I definitely think that having that game experience is going to help me going forward, because there’s no way to duplicate that in practice or even a preseason game.”

The Lions haven’t picked up a cornerback to replace Bentley, but coach Jim Caldwell said that they have a plan.

“We’ve got two defensive backs on our practice squad in (Nate) Ness and (Mohammad) Seisay that we feel can step in and perform for us,” he said. “They’ve been working in our scheme, and that how I think the system should work — there might be times when you need a veteran, but most of the time, you should be looking to the guys on your practice squad.”

With the Lions choosing not to bring in a veteran, Lawson will be at the nickel against Newton in Carolina.

“You can never have enough cornerbacks in this league, but we trust the ones we’ve got with us right now,” Austin said. “The game action will help Nevin, and with their power-running game, I don’t expect we will be in the nickel nearly as much as we were against the Giants. I would think we’ll have three linebackers on the field more often.”

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.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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