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Manziel ready for preseason debut

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer

DETROIT (AP) — This is no ordinary exhibition game.

Johnny Manziel will have his first real chance to show how he measures up against live NFL competition when the Cleveland Browns play at Detroit on Saturday night.

Although Manziel won’t be the starter for this game, what happens against the Lions could be an early indicator of how soon Cleveland will be able to rely on its rookie quarterback.

Coach Mike Pettine hopes to have a starter selected before the third preseason game, meaning what Manziel and Brian Hoyer do in the first two will be crucial.

“I think more weight will be put on those as I said before, because it’s live reps,” Pettine said. “The practice part will still be important, but I think it’s safe to say that.”

Hoyer will start Saturday, and Manziel isn’t expected to play at all with the starters, but his every move will be scrutinized regardless.

The Browns took the former Heisman Trophy winner in the first round of this year’s draft, hoping Manziel could help revive a franchise that has not appeared in a postseason game since 2003.

“I have a long way to go,” Manziel said. “I have a lot to learn, a lot more to get comfortable with and I feel that I’m getting better. I definitely feel my comfort level out here on the field growing day by day and I think these coaches and the players that are around us are all helping me get better.”

Pettine is also making his debut this weekend, and the first-year coach is faced with the task of managing Cleveland’s quarterback situation as best he can — with fans understandably eager to see Manziel play.

“I think we all see what Manziel can do,” Pettine said. “He can make plays with his feet, but I think he’s maybe better than we thought in the pocket as well.”

Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon will likely be mixed in with the starters and backups against the Lions as he awaits word from the NFL on his appeal of a possible suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.

Receiver Nate Burleson — who played for Detroit the past four seasons before signing with Cleveland — has been dealing with a hamstring injury.

The Lions have no real quarterback competition to speak of, but like Cleveland, they are welcoming a new coach. Jim Caldwell took over during the offseason after Jim Schwartz was fired.

Caldwell’s task is to help Matthew Stafford become a more consistently reliable passer, and Stafford said Friday he’s enjoyed a chance to sort of start over with the new staff.

“I’m being coached differently. Our drops are different, our reads are different, the plays are totally different,” Stafford said. “It was kind of nice to just scrap everything and start new, the way they wanted me to do it.”

Caldwell hasn’t said much about how he’ll divide playing time, so it’s not clear how much Stafford and Calvin Johnson will be on the field Saturday, but this should be at least a vague preview of what the new staff’s offense will look like.

“It’s preseason — we’re not going to go out there and unload the playbook,” Stafford said. “It’s going to be probably more multiple formations than I guess fans of the Lions are used to seeing. Maybe some more motions and shifts and things of that nature, but we’re still going to be an exciting offense.”

NOTES: The Lions signed free agent S Nate Ness and released LB Cory Greenwood.

___

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