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High hopes for Denver’s new pass-rush tandem

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — With Von Miller’s right knee on the mend and DeMarcus Ware’s right elbow feeling fine, Denver’s new pass-rushing partners are starting to fantasize about what kind of season they could have if they stay healthy.

Neither man will say how many sacks he’d like to collect individually.

As a tandem, that’s another story.

“Between two guys, we want to have as many sacks as one team,” Ware declared.

Last year, every NFL team collected at least 31 sacks.

Their aim is higher than that, though.

While emphasizing, “I really don’t have personal goals,” Ware said he’d love to be a part of the “tandem that was the best in the league ever.”

In 1989, Chris Doleman and Keith Millard of the Minnesota Vikings teamed up for an astonishing 39 sacks.

To get into the 30s, Miller and Ware are going to have to have nice bounce-backs from the worst seasons of their respective careers.

The franchise sacks leader in Dallas, Ware was released by the Cowboys this winter in a salary cap move after getting to the quarterback a career-low six times last season and missing games for the first time in his nine-year career with a thigh injury.

He underwent surgery on his right elbow in February, then signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Broncos, who lost Elvis Dumervil in the infamous fax fiasco a year ago and then watched Miller founder minus his mentor.

Miller and Dumervil teamed for a Broncos tandem record 29 1/2 sacks in 2012, including a franchise-high 18 1/2 by Miller, who slipped to just five in 2013, when his season began with a six-game drug suspension and ended with a torn right ACL in December.

Miller underwent surgery in January and had to watch the Super Bowl from the sideline.

The arrival of Ware, whom he patterned his game after while growing up in Dallas, has inspired Miller, and his long, arduous hours of rehab have led to some reflection and what the front office trusts is more maturity.

“For me, I’ve got a whole new look on just coming to practice and playing football. If you’re not trying to be the best at what you’re doing, that just seems lame to me,” Miller said Thursday after the Broncos wrapped up their three-day mandatory minicamp. “You just come out here just to play football, just to pay the bills, because it’s cool, that’s not for me. I want to come out here and try to be the best player I can possibly be, and just be remembered.

“And DeMarcus Ware, he’s well on his way to doing that and every time I step on that field, that’s what’s behind me: To be the best. I know if we keep that same mind-set, we’ll be all right.”

Just as Ware wants to be the best defensive end in the NFL, Miller said his goal is to be the league’s best linebacker.

“I mean, I always wanted to be the best. I don’t think I really focused on it as much. I let the sacks and sack dances and all that other stuff kind of take precedence over being the best,” Miller said. “It’s kind of weird, because when you’re making plays, you’re doing pretty good. But being the best … that’s what really matters to me now.”

That’s just the kind of thing coach John Fox will be glad to read. Because he’s not all about stats, the sacks or the silly dances that end up on “SportsCenter.”

Fox wants to pressure the quarterback, make him throw it a tad quicker than he wants or force him to change his call at the line of scrimmage, even ditch some of what he does best when he lines up against two of the NFL’s top edge rushers.

“Mike Strahan, way back the year we went to the Super Bowl in 2000, he didn’t make the Pro Bowl because he didn’t have the sack total that he had had in the past. But yet he had a very, very productive, good season,” Fox said.

“Sometimes people read too much into sacks and sometimes it defines the type of season, which in actuality you can have a very good year without huge sacks numbers. We’re just looking for affecting the quarterback and making them uncomfortable.”

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

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Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

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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