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Everson Griffen growing up in Minnesota

By WTOP Staff

JON KRAWCZYNSKI
AP Sports Writer

MANKATO, Minn. (AP) — Everson Griffen broke into the NFL as one of the youngest players in the league, and he can now say that everything came a little too fast for him at the start.

The money, the game, the attention, it was a lot to handle for a 22-year-old who left USC a year early, and it caught up to the Minnesota Vikings defensive end in the winter following his rookie year.

Two arrests in three days for unruly behavior back in Los Angeles branded him as a troublemaker, and many inside and outside the organization wondered if he would give himself a chance to reach the potential that his physical gifts laid out for him.

“Guys that young coming out of college, getting a boatload of money. It just takes maturity,” Griffen said. “It took a long time for me to mature and know what I really wanted and that’s to become a great football player for the Minnesota Vikings.”

It may seem like just yesterday, but more than three years have passed, and those who have been around Griffen marvel at the steps he’s made.

He is married with a young boy at home, has established himself as one of the team’s most generous players in the community and is starting the first year of a five-year, $42.5 million contract that guarantees him $20 million, making him one of the pillars of a rebuilding defense.

“He’s one of those guys that I think is going to be a success story,” Vikings GM Rick Spielman said. “A guy that has made mistakes or made some poor decisions off the field at the time, but I think (he is) not only maturing as a football player, but maturing as a person, you saw that. You sit back there and watch him grow. So we felt very confident to go ahead and invest in that.”

In his first four seasons in the league, Griffen started just one game while playing behind All-Pro Jared Allen. His physical talent has been apparent since early on.

Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer even used the 6-foot-3, 273-pound Griffen as a gunner on the punt coverage team and previous defensive coaches played him at both end and tackle while occasionally dropping him back into coverage as a linebacker.

But he had just 5½ sacks last season and didn’t make the kind of splash plays that many expected to start seeing from him on a more regular basis.

The Vikings said goodbye to Allen and defensive tackle Kevin Williams, two long-time stalwarts and team leaders, in the offseason, and Spielman decided he’d seen enough from Griffen both on the field and off to make him one of the new faces of the revamped unit.

“Everson for the most part did have some slipups, but we’re betting that he has matured and he’s shown that maturity and that he will continue to embrace that role,” Spielman said.

“It seems like even another light switch went on with him when we showed that confidence in him.

“But I also told him that when we go down this road and you receive the type of contract you received, it’s not just about what you do on the field. There are a lot of responsibilities that come with it as a team leader and how you’re going to represent the organization as well.”

One of the most obvious changes during Vikings training camp this season has been Griffen’s emergence as a spokesman for the defense. With Allen and Williams gone, he has eagerly tried to step up and fill the void, speaking with an earnestness and enthusiasm that he wasn’t able to do when he was finding his way earlier in his career.

“You’ve got to embrace it. I’ve been dreaming of this,” Griffen said. “The only thing I can do is hold myself to a high standard and go out there and compete each and every day to become the player I want to become for my team.

“I’m just trying to have a good 2014 season with the Minnesota Vikings and let’s win. We’re here for one thing and that’s winning games, no ifs ands or buts. We’re here to win games. That’s all we want to do here.”

So far he has made a strong first impression with coach Mike Zimmer and the rest of the new staff brought in to replace Leslie Frazier after last year’s 5-10-1 disappointment.

“He’s very eager,” Zimmer said. “He wants to please. He wants to do good. He’s excitable. But obviously I’m spending a lot of time in the defensive meetings, so I get a chance to talk to him quite a bit. But he wants to do things right and he’s a good kid and I’m glad we have him.”

___

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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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