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Brandon Marshall out to make a name for himself

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Brandon Marshall is embracing the opportunity to make a name for himself with the Denver Broncos.

If he can do that, maybe fans will stop mistaking him for the Chicago Bears’ 30-year-old star wide receiver with the same name, the one who wore out his welcome in Denver five years ago.

The Brandon Marshall now playing in Denver was drafted in the fifth round out of Nevada in 2012 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who would cut him three times before the Broncos added him on their practice squad last year and then activated him for the season finale and the playoffs.

The 24-year-old linebacker is getting first crack at filling in for Danny Trevathan after Denver’s leading tackler broke his left knee at Tuesday’s practice.

This Brandon (Markieth) Marshall gets confused with that Brandon (Tyrone) Marshall “all day, every day,” he said. “Twitter, Instagram, you name it.”

On Instagram, fans see his face, his jersey and his No. 54, “but they still ask me, ‘Why do you post so many Broncos pictures?” Marshall said.

He estimates that he gets about 150 misdirected tweets every day from people mistaking him for the five-time Pro Bowl receiver who has made public his borderline personality disorder and who makes more money in one week — $535,294 — than Marshall will all season — $495,000.

“People ask me for donations,” Marshall said. “People talk about mental health and say you’re doing a great job. I used to respond as jokes but now I don’t even respond. I figure, ‘One day I’m just going to make a name for myself.'”

He’s getting that chance with Trevathan out for the remainder of the preseason and likely the first month of the regular season.

Marshall, who was already playing alongside Trevathan in the nickel, has a message for Broncos fans who don’t really know much about him.

“I’m ready. I’ve always been ready,” he said. “I’ve been playing this game since I was 8 years old. So, it’s really nothing for me.”

Oh, and his Twitter handle is @BMarshh54. THAT Brandon Marshall’s is @BMarshall.

And this Brandon Marshall promises there will be no drop-off in Denver’s defense even though Trevathan led the team with 124 tackles last season and added a team-best two dozen more in the playoffs.

“I will get it done,” said Marshall, who had the earpiece in his helmet at practice Thursday so he could get the calls from coordinator Jack Del Rio and relay them to the defense just like Trevathan does.

Marshall played weakside linebacker in the base, alongside Lamin Barrow in the nickel and as the lone linebacker in the dime defense.

“It was a new experience for me,” Marshall said. “I’ve never played ‘mike’ linebacker before. I’ve never made the calls before. It was fun, actually. It stressed me in a way I’ve never been stressed before. But I liked it. I liked the challenge since I know the defense. And like I said, they only sign smart linebackers here and they expect you to know everything.”

Del Rio said Marshall turned heads last season with his work ethic, and now “I’m excited to get a chance to really evaluate him in a more prominent role. He’s an athletic linebacker. Much like Danny, he has a nose for the ball. And we’ll just see where it goes.”

Notes: RB C.J. Anderson returned to practice one week after leaving the Broncos’ preseason opener with a concussion. … The Broncos have replaced the blare of simulated crowd noise at practice with a variety of popular songs. Says coach John Fox: “It makes them focus more. If they know the song, like the song, they have to concentrate on what they’re doing whereas the jet engine noise isn’t quite as distracting.”

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

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Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

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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