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Bills cautious after LT Glenn cleared for practice

By WTOP Staff

JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — Cordy Glenn’s long-awaited return to practice on Saturday is not an indication that the Buffalo Bills starting left tackle is anywhere close to being ready to play.

Far from it, coach Doug Marrone said hours after Glenn passed his physical and was added to the active roster following an undisclosed illness.

“We’re going to take it very, very slowly,” said Marrone, of a player who’s been sidelined since training camp opened July 20. “You won’t seem him participating in any team (drills) for a while. And we’ll see how he responds, because I really don’t know.”

And Marrone didn’t rule out the possibility of Glenn not being ready for the start of the regular season. He instead noted that rookie seventh-round draft pick Seantrel Henderson has so far shown he’s capable of taking over the job on an interim basis if necessary.

Glenn’s status has been a big question mark since tests revealed he had an issue, which the Bills have been careful not to disclose. He was placed on the team’s active/non-football illness list a few days before camp opened and was limited to light exercises on the sideline.

On Saturday, Glenn was at least finally able to take the field after missing the first 12 sessions and two preseason games. He took part in walk-through drills with the starters to open practice, and then worked out individually on blocking techniques after the two-hour session.

Glenn would only refer to his illness as a medical issue, and said it’s too early to determine when he’ll be ready to play.

“There’s still a little bit of time. Right now I’m just focused on trying to help the team out and getting back comfortable again,” he said. “It was frustrating not being out there with the fellas, but I’m just trying to knock the rust off.”

Selected in the second round of the 2012 draft out of Georgia, Glenn has been the Bills starting left tackle since his rookie season.

Aside from Glenn’s absence, the Bills starting line has been in flux through most of camp with the exception of center Eric Wood. There are open competitions at both guard spots as well as right tackle.

The Bills (1-1) returned to camp in suburban Rochester a day after a 20-18 preseason win at Carolina.

Marrone was comparatively more upbeat after his team’s latest performance than he was in the days following a 17-13 loss to the New York Giants in the preseason-opening Hall of Fame Game last weekend.

Rather than issuing terse, one-word answers as he did on Tuesday, Marrone said he saw progress, particularly on offense and starting quarterback EJ Manuel.

“We did some things better,” Marrone said. “I was happy with that. I thought (Manuel) did a nice job, gave us some opportunities to score. And we’ve just got to take advantage of that.”

The Bills offense still lacks finish.

Though Manuel helped the offense gain 126 net yards and six first downs through three series, the Bills managed just a field goal. And that included giving up the ball on downs at the Carolina 2 after running back Fred Jackson was stuffed for no gain on fourth-and-1.

Converting on third downs was also an issue. Buffalo converted 2 of 8 chances in the first half, and 4 of 12 overall.

“Obviously, it’s a concern because it affects the way you win,” Marrone said. “Those are things that we need to work on and create a high focus in those areas because that’s what playoff teams do.”

NOTES: In five series under Manuel, the starting offense has come away with two field goals despite three drives inside an opponents’ 20. … The Bills travel to the Steelers’ training camp facility in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where they’ll hold two joint practices with Pittsburgh on Wednesday and Thursday. The teams then play a preseason game at Pittsburgh on Aug. 16. … CB Ron Brooks (thigh), WR Marquise Goodwin (hamstring), OG Chris Williams (neck) were among the regulars who were held out of practice.

___

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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