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Chiefs’ Charles sets sights on franchise record

By WTOP Staff

DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Just about the only thing that could keep Jamaal Charles from becoming the Kansas City Chiefs’ career rushing leader happens to be the guy who is cheering him on the most.

That would be the guy who is also calling the plays: Andy Reid.

Charles brushed past Larry Johnson in last week’s loss to San Francisco for second place in the record book, and needs 53 yards to take over the top spot. That will likely occur next week, when the Chiefs are finished with their bye and travel to San Diego.

Priest Holmes currently holds the franchise mark of 6,070 yards.

“It will be a great accomplishment to make,” Charles said, “but at the end of the day, I really care about winning. It is hard when you break records and you lose. It doesn’t mean anything. It only means something when you win games with your teammates.”

The Chiefs did plenty of that last year, going 11-5 and making the playoffs in Reid’s first year as coach. The big reason for the turnaround from a two-win team the previous year? Reid knew he had a star in Charles, and he rode him to victory week after week.

That hasn’t been the case so far this season.

In a season-opening loss to Tennessee, Charles touched the ball just 11 times — seven after the first series of the game. And in last week’s loss to the 49ers, the All-Pro running back only had four of his 15 carries in the second half, when the game was decided.

Reid called himself “negligent” in his failure to use Charles in Week 1. He defended his play calling in last week’s loss, pointing out the Chiefs had few second-half possessions and the 49ers were bent on stopping the run. But he still acknowledged that Charles needs the ball in his hands more if the Chiefs (2-3) are going to return to the playoffs.

“We could’ve done a better job of giving him more carries,” Reid said.

There was one play that stuck out in particular to Reid. In the fourth quarter, the Chiefs were trailing 19-17 and faced third-and-1. Rather than giving it to Charles, whose career average of 5.5 yards per carry is best in NFL history, Reid elected to throw. The pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage and the Chiefs ultimately lost, 22-17.

“If I had to do it all over again, and this is hindsight, I’d probably come back and hand it to him,” Reid said, “and given him an opportunity to make a play.”

Regardless, the Chiefs still enter their bye week with loads of confidence.

After playing miserably against the Titans in Week 1, they nearly knocked off AFC West favorite Denver on the road. They played well in consecutive wins over Miami and New England, and had San Francisco on the ropes until the final minutes of the game.

Their schedule is conducive to building some momentum, too.

They start off with a trip to another division rival, San Diego. After that are home games against lackluster teams in the Rams and Jets, and a visit to Buffalo.

By then, regardless of the plays Reid calls, Charles should have his record.

“The one thing about Jamaal, he obviously is not a guy that focuses on himself. He’s all about team goals,” Chiefs running backs coach Eric Bienemy said. “But in my opinion, I know this is a special deal for him. And maybe I’m talking out of turn, but to say that he will become the leading rusher for this historical organization says a lot about him.”

The 28-year-old Charles, who signed a two-year contract extension in the offseason, should be able to set a mark that lasts a while.

Holmes carried 236 times more than Charles has so far, so there appears to be plenty of miles left in his legs. And now that Knile Davis is helping take some pressure off him, Charles should be fresher for each of his carries.

“One thing about Jamaal, he’s driven, and he’s driven for the right reasons,” Bienemy said. “Success means a lot, but success as an organization and as a team goes beyond anything that I can explain. … He wants everybody to be great so that everybody can set the stage and we can have the success that is needed to help us accomplish our goals.”

___

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

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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