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Bell looking for more decisive, productive season

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

LATROBE, Pa. (AP) — Le’Veon Bell kept watching the tape over and over, equal parts pleased and puzzled by what he saw.

There were times during his rookie season when the Pittsburgh Steelers running back would place his hand on an offensive lineman’s back and wait patiently for the hole to open.

Sometimes, one would appear. Sometimes it wouldn’t, mainly because whatever sliver of daylight existed had already been swallowed by darkness while Bell was still trying to read the blocks in front of him.

Guess which plays he kept thinking about during the offseason? Not the ones that turned into one of his eight rushing touchdowns during a record-breaking year he grudgingly gives a “C-plus.”

“At the time, I thought I was doing pretty good,” Bell said. “Then when I started breaking it down, I realized I wasn’t doing what I thought I could.”

So Bell spent the spring focusing on his footwork to avoid the mincing steps that he’s certain cost him valuable yardage a year ago.

His Instagram feed is peppered with video of the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Bell doing his best “Dancing With the Stars” impersonation.

During one he jabs his way through four octagons, does a pair of 360-degree spins around yellow cones, then nimbly races over rope placed about 6 inches off the ground.

The goal is to avoid outstretched hands from fallen defenders while also developing a more aggressive style.

“It’s definitely going to help me with my burst and my explosion coming out of cuts,” Bell said.

It might be the one thing that was missing during an otherwise productive 2013 in which his 1,259 all-purpose yards broke the club rookie record set by Hall of Famer Franco Harris more than 40 years ago.

Bell proved to be a workhorse after missing the first three weeks with a foot injury, averaging more than 22 touches in 13 games. Problem is, too often those touches didn’t go anywhere. His 3.5 yards per carry ranked 38th in the league.

Part of the blame goes to an injury-ravaged offensive line that didn’t really find its footing until late in the season. Yet Bell allows he also missed plenty of opportunities to make something happen because he waited too long to get going.

“If I could have got my feet down quicker, I could have gotten a lot more yards,” he said. “When it’s third-and-1, you’ve got to go get it. If it’s a first-and-10 run, take your time run, let the play develop and get what you can. “

The Steelers will be asking for more from Bell in 2014 in hopes of taking some of the pressure off quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh hasn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Rashard Mendenhall ran for 1,273 yards in 2010 while helping the franchise to its eighth Super Bowl.

The past three seasons have seen a steady decline in production on the ground. The Steelers finished tied for 27th in yards rushing last year, a number they believe needs to go up.

Though Roethlisberger expects to be more effective while expanding the shotgun-heavy, no-huddle offense that worked so well during a 6-2 finish to 2013, Bell knows some of that production needs to come when the quarterback takes the snap, turns to Bell and gets out of the way.

“I think this year is going to be more open,” Bell said. “Guys are going to be doing more different things. I can’t wait to see what this offense can do.”

Even if he finds himself watching from the sideline. Bell became firmly entrenched as the starter a year ago as Jonathan Dwyer, Isaac Redman and Felix Jones struggled to stay healthy or productive. He’s still atop the depth chart, but he’ll be pushed by free agent signee LeGarrette Blount.

The Steelers signed the burly Blount to a two-year contract during the spring after Blount ran for 772 yards (and a whopping 5.0 average) for the Patriots last year.

Bell insists he’s not looking over his shoulder.

“I love coming in and competing, getting my work in,” he said. “Last year for the Patriots I felt like (Blount) was the best runner over there watching on film. I’m glad we got him, I’m not arguing over it … he’s a guy that is going to help us win.”

NOTES: The Steelers signed rookie free agent running back Josh Harris on Tuesday and waived offensive lineman David Snow. Snow injured his left foot on the first day of practice last Saturday.

___

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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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