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Bills rookie WR Watkins looks to shine in HOF game

By WTOP Staff

JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — It’s approaching show-time for Buffalo Bills rookie receiver Sammy Watkins.

After dazzling teammates and fans during the first two weeks of training camp, the rookie receiver is awaiting the chance to kick off the preseason before a national TV audience against the New York Giants in the annual Hall of Fame game on Sunday night.

It’s not lost on Watkins that Andre Reed will be on hand at Fawcett Stadium, a day after the former Bills star receiver’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“I definitely want to go out there and put on a great show for him,” Watkins said. “And I want to get a win. That would just start the team up and build confidence for everybody.”

Watkins has shown glimpses of why the Bills regarded him so highly in the draft. Buffalo gambled by trading its 2015 first-round pick to Cleveland and moved up five spots to select the Clemson player at No. 4.

He’s shown breakaway speed by making numerous deep catches along the sideline, eliciting huge cheers from the stands.

Watkins became a YouTube and Twitter sensation after videos showed him stumbling and nearly falling before recovering to make a one-handed catch in the end zone.

Despite a slim, 6-foot-1, 211-pound frame, he’s proven fearless in making catches in traffic. That was apparent during a full-team drill on the second day of camp.

Quarterback EJ Manuel’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage and fluttered high into the air. Watkins raced back to make a leaping grab amid three defenders and came down with the ball in a pile of players. He also got poked in the eye.

“There are two things I can do: I can wait for it to get picked off, or I can go make a play on it,” Watkins said. “My first reaction was the ball was in the air, go make a play on it.”

Center Eric Wood is among Bills veterans impressed by Watkins.

“At this point, it wasn’t like shocking. I almost expected it,” Wood said, referring to Watkins’ one-handed catch. “He is exactly what you’d hope for given what we gave up to get him and how we took him.”

That’s an encouraging step for a Manuel-led passing attack that lacked consistency and big-play ability during the quarterback’s rookie season last year and contributed to the Bills’ 6-10 finish.

“As a coach, you have expectations, but he’s performed better than I would’ve expected,” coach Doug Marrone said of Watkins. “I think a lot of people are excited.”

Giants safety Stevie Brown is looking forward to a closer view of Watkins.

“He was definitely deserving to be the top receiver taken,” Brown said. “He can jump over you and then take it 20 yards more. He’s got the ability to make tough catches. If he catches the ball, I can never let up on getting after him.”

The Giants will unveil a new offensive style under new coordinator Ben McAdoo. They’re introducing a quick-paced, no-huddle attack to help take the pressure off quarterback Eli Manning, who threw a career-worst 27 interceptions last season.

“I think we are going to put us right to the test and see how well we know the offense, know how well this thing can perform at a high level,” receiver Victor Cruz said.

Cruz returns as Manning’s top threat, and third-year receiver Rueben Randle has moved into the No. 2 spot after the Giants lost Hakeem Nicks in free agency.

The Giants also used a first-round draft pick on a receiver, selecting Odell Beckham Jr. with the 12th pick. However, Beckham hasn’t participated fully in practice since hurting his hamstring on the first day of camp.

___

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

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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