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Titans’ O line ready for pressure from Packers

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Pro Football Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Titans left guard Andy Levitre will be playing Saturday despite having an appendectomy two weeks ago.

Center Brian Schwenke and right guard Chance Warmack are ready to show how much better they can be in their second year. And tackles Michael Roos and Michael Oher are playing well enough that rookie Taylor Lewan may spend this season on the bench.

The Titans’ offensive line appears to in better shape a year after an overhaul brought in three new starters.

“We have a lot of hard workers,” said Roos, the Titans’ left tackle since 2006. “We’ve been working a lot, putting in a lot of hours on the practice field. I like the way everybody’s working and pushing themselves and pushing each other. … It’s the kind of stuff that builds a lot of camaraderie and friendships. I think that’ll go a long way on game days.”

Their first test comes Saturday night in the preseason opener against Green Bay with Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews. The first-team offensive line expected to play approximately 15 snaps on Saturday.

Warmack, the 10th draft selection overall out of Alabama in 2013, said that’s a good way to start.

“You want to get better,” Warmack said. “Obviously, those two are really good pass rushers and good at what they do.”

Peppers, who left Chicago for Green Bay as a free agent, had seven sacks in 2013 and ranks third among active players with 118.5 in his career. Matthews led the Packers with 7.5 sacks last season despite missing five games with a broken right thumb, and he has 50 since entering the NFL in 2009.

Matthews can’t wait to see how they perform. The Packers went 8-7-1 last season winning their third straight NFC North title.

“I love the way we get after the quarterback,” Matthews said. “Obviously, our offense is very good, so they’re going to get after their plays in practice. But more often than not you see guys flying around at the quarterback and creating some mismatches. So I like that, and it’ll be good to see it against a different opponent.”

Schwenke and Levitre needed surgeries this offseason for their own injuries. Schwenke, a fourth-round draft pick out of California, didn’t move into the starting lineup until the seventh game in 2013 before playing nine games. Right tackle David Stewart fought through injuries most of the season that kept him from practicing.

But the Titans only gave up 37 sacks while going 7-9 last season, tied for ninth fewest in the NFL. It’s part of a tradition that has the Titans ranked fourth in the NFL for the fewest sacks per pass play allowed since 1999 trailing only Indianapolis, New Orleans and Denver in that span.

Stewart retired this offseason, so the Titans signed Oher away from Baltimore to a four-year contract in March. With Roos in the final year of his deal, they drafted Lewan at No. 11 out of Michigan in May.

Lewan has practiced at both tackle spots and at left guard while Levitre missed the first week of training camp after an appendectomy on July 24. Oher is holding firm at right tackle with Lewan listed behind Roos on the first depth chart for a unit whose goal is keeping Jake Locker as untouched as possible.

Both Schwenke and Warmack feel much more comfortable than a year ago.

“I don’t know this for a fact yet because it’s only my second year, but I think that gap between the first and second year is where you can make the biggest jump, especially in comfort level because I feel so much more comfortable for this season just being on the field,” Schwenke said. “It’s a whole new me.”

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AP Sports Writer Genaro C. Armas contributed to this report from Green Bay, Wisconsin.

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Online:

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

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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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