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Texans search for ways to eliminate slow starts

By WTOP Staff

KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans have been concerned about their slow starts all season. After they fell behind 24-0 in the first quarter in a loss to Indianapolis, coach Bill O’Brien is putting it on his team to change things.

“I think the players need to make up their minds that they’re going to start well,” O’Brien said.

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick isn’t sure why they’ve struggled so much early in games, but knows they have to figure out a way to turn it around.

“Just got to come out more focused I think,” he said. “More focused and ready to go. Just continue to make it a point of emphasis.”

Houston has scored just 14 points in the first quarter this season and all of those points came in a win over Oakland in Week 2. Since then they’ve been incapable of doing anything on offense in the opening frame.

O’Brien said it might be as simple having one good thing happen early so they’ll have something to build on.

“If we start the game with a positive play — first down, gain four, gain five; second-and-5, then gain three (and) then it’s a positive or manageable third down,” O’Brien said. “We get that first first-down, we’re able to get into a good tempo, a good rhythm and we’re going.”

Many have blamed Houston’s tough starts on quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was 0 for 4 in a first quarter against the Colts where the team gained just two yards. But O’Brien took up for his quarterback on Friday.

“When you look at the film, the film never lies,” O’Brien said. “What the film shows us is that everybody on offense has to play better. Everybody. The line has to play better, the backs have to play better, the tight ends, the receivers and we have to coach better.”

Still, Fitzpatrick is quick to point out that he needs to do more early in games.

“There is still a lot of room for improvement,” he said. “We’ve talked about getting off to better starts, but when we get in our groove you see what this offense can be. It’s just a matter of doing it all the time.”

Perhaps more troubling than the slow start by the offense Thursday night was that the defense and special teams were also terrible in the first quarter. The defense allowed three touchdowns and a field goal in the first quarter and the special teams unit was surprised by an onside kick which the Colts recovered. O’Brien said that when he watched the game film on Friday he saw that his team made an error on each of the game’s first 32 plays.

“We’ve got to tackle better,” he said. “We gave up too many hit-and-yardage type plays because we didn’t tackle, the first guy didn’t make the tackle. Special teams, we just can’t allow that to happen, that onside kick. That’s not good.”

The good news for the Texans is that they’ve got a few extra days to prepare for their next game since they don’t play again until a Monday night matchup at Pittsburgh on Oct. 20. There’s also a strong possibility they could get top overall pick Jadeveon Clowney back for that game, which would provide a boost to a defense that has been led by a stellar six games by defensive end J.J. Watt. Watt had two sacks on Thursday night and returned a fumble for a touchdown for his third score this season.

Clowney has been out since having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee after injuring it in Houston’s opener on Sept. 7.

“He’s progressing,” O’Brien said. “I would say that’s still 50-50 whether he plays in that game or not, but he’s getting better. He’s working at it.”

Clowney is eager to get back, but he’s leaving it to the medical staff to decide when he’s ready to play.

“I talked to the trainers the other day about how I’m responding to the drills and everything they’ve got me doing,” he said. “Just time will tell. It’s the healing process right now.”

___

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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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