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Manning’s old pal Tamme steps up with Thomas out

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

DENVER (AP) — Julius Thomas missed the Denver Broncos’ annual summer scrimmage with a bruised thigh, so Jacob Tamme stepped up and played the starring role alongside Peyton Manning.

Tamme stretched out and snared Manning’s high pass for a one-handed 17-yard touchdown grab with Omar Bolden in coverage, the highlight of the short scrimmage before 38,620 fans on a sundrenched Saturday afternoon at Sports Authority Field.

“Jacob is always there when you need him,” said Manning, who also played with Tamme in Indianapolis. “He is very dependable. He and (safety David) Bruton are our top two special teams players and at the same time Jacob has always been a productive offensive player.

“Julius was down today. We don’t change our offense, we don’t change plays. We call the same plays and heck of a catch on his touchdown, almost another heck of a catch on the fade to the end zone.”

Tamme couldn’t quite hold onto the other pass Manning threw his way in the end zone, also leading him to avoid the defender.

“Yeah, I would have liked to have that one,” Tamme said. “… We’ll go back and look at it and see what we can clean up. But I think overall we did a decent job of doing what we set out to do and kind of got a good dress rehearsal and live tackling for this week coming up.”

It was the third and final public practice for the Broncos, whose training headquarters are closed for a $35 million makeover.

And it served as a tuneup for the preseason opener here Thursday night against Seattle, which whipped Denver in the Super Bowl six months ago.

Somebody asked Manning if there was a statement to be made against the Seahawks, and Manning didn’t bite.

“It’s a preseason game,” he said. “No, I don’t think so.”

Manning and the starting offense played about a dozen snaps against the second-string defense, and then his backup, Brock Osweiler, worked with the second-string offense against the front-line defense, although DeMarcus Ware, Von Miller and Chris Harris Jr., still getting back up to speed following injuries, were held out.

Osweiler had some nice plays and he had the defense off-balance when he took off and scrambled, capitalizing on a unit that’s grown accustomed to facing a pocket quarterback in training camp.

“Brock has had a good camp,” Manning said. “He has just improved every single year he’s been here and I thought he had a really good day today, as well.”

Up until Saturday, Denver’s defense had largely gotten the best of Manning & Co., but the unit wasn’t as sharp against the second-teamers.

“We’ve still got some work to do, that’s what we learned,” said safety T.J. Ward, one of the free agents general manager John Elway brought in to give his defense an edge after the Super Bowl debacle.

“It’s the first time we went live, so the tackling was a bit rusty. That will come the more we go live and the more we really tackle. So, we’re not really worried about that right now.”

Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders was happy with the workload and was looking forward to a day off.

“With how my body feels, I’m just kind of happy that we only went 12 plays, he said. “It kind of needs a break right now. We’ve been running a lot, doing a lot of extra work. So, this time off will be very beneficial.”

Afterward, coach John Fox said Thomas was held out “just to be safe” because of a bruised thigh, which he didn’t think was anything serious. “He just got bumped at practice. We just didn’t want to risk it. He’ll be fine.”

Thanks to Tamme, apparently so will Denver’s offense when he’s on the sideline.

Notes: Fox planned to fly to Canton, Ohio, to watch Michael Strahan’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. … The veterans gave the rookies crazy haircuts Friday night. “It’s kind of a tradition,” Fox said. “I learned a long time ago the only difference between a good one and a bad one is about two weeks.” … Before the game, 50 members of the military went through a “military combine” sponsored by USAA.

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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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