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Pats DT Siliga hopes to build on last year’s play

By WTOP Staff

HOWARD ULMAN
AP Sports Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Sealver Siliga knows about trying to stand out in a crowd.

The youngest of 11 siblings finally found steady work with the New England Patriots after being let go by three NFL teams.

Now he’s part of a large group of defensive tackles trying to stay with the club.

Siliga played well after being signed late last season. Now he’s taking nothing for granted.

“The time I felt comfortable, I got (traded),” he said Tuesday. “I’ve been around. So I don’t ever let myself feel comfortable because the time I just start feeling comfortable is the time I see the blackout.”

That happened after he spent the entire 2012 season with the Denver Broncos. He played in just one game, made one tackle and was traded to Seattle the following training camp.

The Seahawks cut him at the end of camp and he went on their practice squad before being released again.

He joined the Patriots practice squad Oct. 23. He was activated a month later and played the last seven games with them. He started the last six, including two in the playoffs.

“It was big just because last season coming where I came (from) nobody really expected me to do what I did,” Siliga said.

Now comes another challenge.

Starting defensive tackles Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly are healthy after missing most of last season with injuries. Their absence gave backups Chris Jones and Joe Vellano extra playing time before Siliga was signed.

All are back at that position along with first-round draft pick Dominique Easley. The Patriots also added veteran defensive end Will Smith

“As a defensive line as a whole, you’ve got to be able to work together,” Jones said. “So, whoever’s in there we’ve got to be able to come together and work together as a team, build that camaraderie, and I thought we did well with that last year.”

Siliga had one sack in each of his last three regular-season games, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be on the active roster when the season starts.

Still, he’s at the high point of an NFL career that began in San Francisco’s 2011 training camp after he signed as a rookie free agent from Utah. He was cut less than six weeks later.

“It never feels good to get tossed around like that,” he said. “I can’t control that. All I can control is how hard I work and what I do.”

Siliga was tested as a youngster with five brothers and five sisters.

“It was cool,” he said with a smile. “I’ve got a lot of big brothers to beat me up, to toughen me up, so it turned out pretty well.”

They also played football, but didn’t make it nearly as far as Siliga.

“They got caught up in the gang life so that didn’t turn out too well for them,” he said. “My brothers grew up in California. I grew up in Salt Lake City so it was a whole different scene. I grew up in a whole different way.”

He learned from their mistakes.

“They did this and I did the opposite,” Siliga said.

Kelly has much more experience — nine seasons with the Oakland Raiders before starting the first five games last year with the Patriots. A right knee injury ended his season and now he’s gradually increasing his activities in practices.

“I love competition,” Kelly said. “You don’t ever worry about what’s behind you. You worry about what’s in front of you. I’ve always been very confident in myself.”

Siliga’s confidence grew as his performance improved.

“I got lucky enough to be put in the situation I was put in,” he said. “It was just listening to the teachings that my coaches gave me my whole career and especially over here. Coach (Bill) Belichick’s really helped me out and helped me to excel to getting my technique to where it’s supposed to be.”

He’s also picked up tips from players he’s competing with.

“I can learn from older guys, guys that have been through the league,” Siliga said. “I watch Vince. I watch TK (Kelly). I watch Will. I watch those guys and I just take pieces from them and I try to do it every day.”

___

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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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