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Satele back with Dolphins as stopgap center

By WTOP Staff

STEVEN WINE
AP Sports Writer

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Mindful that playing for the Miami Dolphins has its ups and downs, center Samson Satele is back.

Satele was a rookie starter with the Dolphins in 2007, when they went 1-15. He also started every game in 2008, when they were division champions and went 11-5 — their most recent winning season.

Satele was then traded away, and now he’s back after signing as a stopgap solution at the Dolphins’ troubled center spot. He practiced for the first time Monday.

“As I stepped on the field I was like, ‘Wow, my rookie year seems like yesterday,'” said Satele, 29. “It’s a full circle. It’s good to be back.”

The Dolphins signed Satele on Saturday after their first training camp scrimmage, an indication they’re unhappy with the other candidates to fill in for injured Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey.

Shelley Smith, Sam Brenner and Nate Garner took turns with the first team last week. None distinguished himself, and botched snaps were a recurring problem.

Satele, an eighth-year veteran, said he can’t remember the last time he had a bad snap.

“Once it’s your job, you’ve got to take care of it,” he said. “It’s just a habit now — get the ball to the quarterback.”

Satele has been a starter his entire career, including 24 games the past two seasons for playoff teams in Indianapolis. The native of Hawaii welcomed the chance to return to Miami (“No snow,” he noted) as Pouncey’s potential replacement.

Coach Joe Philbin made no promises to Satele regarding either the weather or playing time.

“I told him he’s competing for a job just like the other 14 offensive linemen,” Philbin said.

While Satele lined up with the first team some on Monday, Pouncey worked on the side Monday and looked good high-stepping during one rehabilitation drill. But Pouncey’s expected to miss at least a couple of games and perhaps more while he recovers from hip surgery in June.

“I’ve got a good opportunity to start a couple of games here before big boy Mike comes back,” Satele said.

The offense continued to sputter in practice, as it has done for much of camp. There were three false-start penalties by the first team, and Ryan Tannehill threw two interceptions returned for touchdowns.

At least there were no fumbled snaps. Satele said his head was spinning Sunday as he tried to learn the offense, but he predicted he’ll be ready for Friday’s exhibition opener at Atlanta.

“It’s not my first rodeo,” Satele said. “Today wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be, but tomorrow will be better, and Wednesday will be better.”

Satele’s old enough that he refers to the 26-year-old Tannehill as “Kid.” The only players who were with the Dolphins during Satele’s last go-round with Miami are Garner, defensive tackle Randy Starks, long snapper John Denney and punter Brandon Fields.

So what does Satele remember about his rookie season with the worst team in Dolphins history?

“It was all a blur,” Satele said with a chuckle. “I don’t want to remember that.”

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

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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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