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Running game set for Steelers, murky for Giants

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

The New York Giants spent the offseason planning on the return of a healthy David Wilson to revitalize a running game that finished 29th in the league in yards rushing last season.

Time to try again.

The 23-year-old Wilson was forced to retire earlier this week because of a neck injury, leaving New York to scramble as it tries to bounce back from a forgettable 2013.

“He was the heart and soul of this team, a great energy guy,” wide receiver Victor Cruz said. “It’s unfortunate that this happened.”

The former first-round pick walked away from the game with “tears of joy,” thankful simply for the memories of a too-brief NFL career.

Now his suddenly former team must move on without a clear picture of who will line up behind Eli Manning in the backfield when the regular season begins.

There were some encouraging signs in the Hall of Fame Game against Buffalo.

Rookie Andre Williams ran for a team-high 48 yards on seven carries in a 17-13 win. Coughlin will look for more on Saturday night when the Giants (1-0) host the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rashad Jennings is atop the depth chart with journeyman Peyton Hillis behind him, followed by Williams and still raw prospects Kendall Gaskins and Michael Cox. Considering no player on the roster had more than the 733 yards rushing Jennings put up for Oakland in 2013, coach Tom Coughlin is eager to see if anyone separates himself from the field.

“Opportunity presents itself in many different ways,” Coughlin said.

There are no such concerns in Pittsburgh, which brought in Hall of Famer Mike Munchak to work with a promising offensive line and signed burly running back LeGarrette Blount to spell the versatile Le’Veon Bell.

Bell set a team rookie record for total yards in 2013, running for 860 yards and eight touchdowns and catching 45 passes for 399 yards. The only real concern was consistency. Pittsburgh averaged just 3.5 yards per carry, a number the Steelers expect to go up this season.

“We want to be able to run the football when it needs to be done,” Munchak said.

Enter Blount, who rushed for 772 yards while splitting carries with Stevan Ridley in New England last season. The 245-pound Blount averaged a healthy 5.0 yards per carry and steamrolled Indianapolis in the playoffs, racking up 166 yards and four touchdowns.

It’s unlikely Blount will get such a heavy workload in Pittsburgh if Bell remains healthy. That’s fine with Blount, who signed a two-year deal with the Steelers because he wanted to win.

Throw in rookie Dri Archer — who ran a blistering 4.28 40-yard dash at the combine — and the Steelers have three very different backs. That’s kind of diversity should only help.

It’s unclear how many carries each will see Saturday. Bell was slowed by a hamstring issue at the beginning of training camp, while Blount sat out practice earlier this week.

Coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged some starters would play more than others, and with a line adjusting to its third coach in as many years, there’s a good chance center Maurkice Pouncey — recovering from a knee injury that cost him almost the entire 2013 season — and others could see more than one series on the field.

Whoever lines up in front of him, Blount understands his job is to make the pile move. It’s what the Steelers are supposed to do, right? Blount points to the team’s rich history of big backs such as Hall of Famer Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis as proof the team has found a way to develop that physical running game even while the sport has evolved.

“Being that guys like Franco and the Bus came through here — Willie Parker and those guys — they were pretty good running backs coming through here,” he said. “Hopefully I can stay long enough to be part of that group.”

___

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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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