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Tight end Larry Donnell leads Giants in receiving

By WTOP Staff

TOM CANAVAN
AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants have had a habit of turning low-round draft picks and free agents into productive tight ends.

Kevin Boss progressed from a fifth-round draft pick in 2007 to a starter. Free agent Jake Ballard was a starter until a knee injury short-circuited his career.

Now there is Larry Donnell, the former free agent and practice squad player. In a season where few felt the Giants (0-2) had a legitimate tight end in training camp, the Grambling State product has opened some eyes.

Heading into Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans (2-0), Donnell leads the Giants with 12 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown. The yardage total is tied for 28th in the NFL and 16th in the NFC.

Donnell had career statistics of three catches for 31 yards, all coming in 16 games last season.

“He has done a good job getting open,” said quarterback Eli Manning, who has completed 44 passes, or 27.2 percent to Donnell.

“We have called some things where he is the No. 1 read and he is getting open. We have called some things where he wasn’t the No. 1 read and we went through some progressions and he was open. He’s made some nice catches.”

While happy to be contributing, Donnell wants more.

“At the same time a victory would be even better,” Donnell said. “Those are the stats to hang your hat on. At the end do the day, not winning takes away from the stats.”

It’s possible that the Lions and Cardinals overlooked Donnell and focused on stopping wide receivers Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle. That could change if Donnell keeps making catches.

“…He’s been around here for a while, he’s paid a price and he’s worked hard,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “I’m glad to see a young man that has gone through the practice squad and so on and so forth, who is talented, who we knew was talented. I’m glad to see him have a little success here early on and I hope it continues.”

Donnell said his approach to playing is to be where Manning needs him to be. If he gets there, he believes the ball will come his way.

“We knew everyone was questioning us during camp and we just stayed together and stayed positive,” Donnell said of the tight end group that includes Daniel Fells and Adrien Robinson, “We knew we could do it. Now we are taking advantage of the opportunities.”

Manning has thrown three touchdowns this season. Donnell has one and so does Fells, who caught his last weekend.

“Our offense is limitless,” Fells said. “We have not shown what our offense can do. Last week we tapped into a little bit of it, but made some mistakes and those mistakes we need to get corrected. I think this offense can be friendly for the tight ends. I think it can be friendly for the receivers and friendly for the backs. We have little bit of everything in our offense.”

Right now it’s also a lot of Larry Donnell.

NOTES: Jon Beason (foot-ankle) and fellow LB Devon Kennard (hamstring) will not play Sunday along with WR Odell Beckham Jr. (hamstring). P Steve Weatherford (ankle), OT James Brewer and OT Charles Brown (shoulder) are questionable. Beason was seen by foot specialist Robert Anderson in North Carolina on Friday. Coughlin said the middle linebacker probably will have discomfort the rest of the season. … G Eric Herman was waived Friday. He returned to the team Wednesday after serving a two-week suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances. The suspension was originally four weeks, but Herman was reinstated early under the league’s new PED policy. He was on a two-day roster exemption.

___

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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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