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Bills find engaging dance partner in Steelers

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

LATROBE, Pa. (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger has already been where EJ Manuel wants to go.

More than once actually.

So forgive the still raw Buffalo Bills quarterback if he spent part of Wednesday’s joint workout with the Pittsburgh Steelers taking a peek at how two-time Super Bowl winner Roethlisberger went about his job on the other end of the practice field at Saint Vincent College.

“To see Big Ben in action, see how he prepares for every practice, how he goes in and out each day is just a huge opportunity for me,” Manuel said. “I’m trying to take advantage of it.”

Like Roethlisberger, the 6-foot-5, 237-pound Manuel is nearly as big as the guys tasked with bringing him down.

Like Roethlisberger, Manuel is hoping to lead his team to a championship in his second year in the league.

“Early in his career he took those guys to the Super Bowl,” Manuel said. “So to get an opportunity to get a chance to come up and practice with him is awesome.”

And that’s kind of the point. The Bills are spending the rest of the week in western Pennsylvania to break up the monotony of a lengthy training camp and also to get a feel for what an organization considered one of the league’s finest looks like.

Buffalo general manager Doug Whaley spent a decade in Pittsburgh’s front office before joining the Bills in 2010. Whaley admitted he felt “giddy” while making the familiar drive from the city to Latrobe, about an hour southeast of the city.

“It’s like a second home,” Whaley said.

One that he’s trying to emulate in Buffalo.

Asked what he’s hoping his team will glean from the Steelers and Whaley just smiled.

“Their toughness and their idea that nothing less is expected than a championship,” he said. “That’s what we’re trying to get to. Practicing against these guys … will hopefully rub off on our guys.”

Maybe that’s why the two hours they shared the field felt almost gentlemanly. A day after the Raiders and Cowboys engaged in a particularly ugly brawl, the Bills and the Steelers were on their best behavior.

Outside of a couple of post play dustups, there were no fireworks, just football.

“We like to turn on the TV and see gory, unfortunate incidents like what happened between Dallas and Oakland and we’re here to prove that two teams are capable of coming together and doing it in a productive, professional manner,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.

Besides, there’s way too much at stake for both teams to waste time beating each other up.

Buffalo is trying to remake its image under second-year coach Doug Marrone. The Bills have a dynamic playmaker in rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who beat Steelers starting cornerback Cortez Allen for a long touchdown during a 7-on-7 drill.

While Manuel said no practice can quite meet the speed of the game, he wasn’t complaining about the tempo. His rookie season last fall included a lifeless performance in a 23-10 loss to the Steelers, a game in which Manuel passed for just 155 yards, most of them coming in a meaningless drive in the final minutes with the game well out of reach.

Though he took a tumble while stepping up in the pocket in the face of the Pittsburgh pass rush, Manuel was pleased with his team’s progress.

“We got it rolling,” he said. “I got a chance to go with the first and second group. The more at-bats I get, the happier I’ll be.”

A decade into his career, Roethlisberger doesn’t need quite so many reps. Still, he knows his batch of inexperienced receivers need as many chances to go against new faces as they can get.

“You go against the same guy every day and learn how he is,” Roethlisberger said. “To have a new defensive back to go against is good for them.”

NOTES: Whaley said the Bills have not received any calls from teams interested in running back C.J. Spiller. Whaley called speculation Spiller is on the trading block “news to me.” … Tomlin said LS Greg Warren suffered a “potentially significant leg injury” during practice. FB Will Johnson and S Will Allen left with hamstring strains, while G Ramon Foster and LB Jarvis Jones sat out. … K Dustin Hopkins, S Jonathan Meeks, LB Ty Powell, G Chris Williams, TE Tony Moeaki and WR Marquise Goodwin did not practice for the Bills.

___

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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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