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Lurie spreads the credit for Eagles’ success

By WTOP Staff

ROB MAADDI
AP Pro Football Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — While Chip Kelly gets plenty of accolades for taking the Philadelphia Eagles from worst-to-first in his first year in the NFL, owner Jeffrey Lurie spreads the credit.

Lurie’s decision to hire Kelly after firing Andy Reid following 14 seasons as coach quickly paid off when the Eagles won the NFC East title last year. But Kelly isn’t a one-man show.

“I think one of the reasons he’s been successful, his staff has been successful is it’s been such an excellent team approach, whether it’s dealing with player personnel, dealing with the trainers, dealing with sports science,” Lurie said Wednesday.

“Everyone is humble about it. Nobody is trying to take responsibility for anything. To be better than 31 other teams, you better be a really good team. It’s just not about one person.”

Lurie’s annual state-of-the-team news conference had a different flavor than recent years. The Eagles are clearly a team on the rise so expectations are higher than they’ve been since Terrell Owens arrived in 2004 to help Donovan McNabb snap a string of three straight losses in the NFC championship game.

“It’ll rise every year because you just want to get better and better,” Lurie said of increased expectations. “You never want to plateau out. Getting better every day is my expectation.”

Lurie is entering his 20th season in Philadelphia. The Eagles have done it all since he bought the team except for winning the Super Bowl. They came close after losing the three straight NFC championships only to lose 24-21 to New England in the 2005 NFL title game.

“I’m obsessed with it,” Lurie said about winning a Super Bowl. “I think if you love the sport as much as I do, and you love this team and this city as much as I do, that’s the ultimate goal. Until that happens it’s a hunger.”

With Kelly leading the way, fans are excited about the possibility the Eagles will finally win their first Super Bowl overall and the franchise’s first championship since 1960.

Kelly, known as an offensive mastermind at Oregon, lived up to the hype in his rookie year in the league. The Eagles set several team records in various offensive categories and quarterback Nick Foles had a breakout year in his second season.

Foles had 29 TD passes and only two interceptions and his 119.2 passer rating was the third-best in NFL history. He’s eligible for a contract extension after the season, so another big year will put him in line to get a $100 million-plus deal. Those are numbers worthy of a franchise quarterback.

Or is he?

“I have no idea,” Lurie said. “But I think he’s got a lot of the elements we are looking for, and he’s a great person, he’s a hard worker and he’s going to have an amazing opportunity to get better and better. With the offense and the people we have around him, he’s got a great opportunity to have another excellent year.”

These Eagles remind observers of Reid’s young teams in the early 2000s. Reid inherited a 3-13 club in 1998 and turned them into a playoff team within two years. He led the Eagles to the NFC championship game four straight years, starting with his third season in 2001.

Overall, the Eagles went to the playoffs nine times, won six division championships and played in five conference title games during Reid’s 14 seasons.

Kelly already has a head start on Reid by winning in his first year.

“You got a very young team, and a new coach and coaching staff in their second year and you got a young quarterback coming off an outstanding first season,” Lurie said. “So there are some similarities.”

Now all they have to do is hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

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Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi

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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