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Seattle makes home debut against San Diego

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — Brock Coyle isn’t likely to be a starter in the NFL anytime soon. But he’s getting every chance to earn a spot on the Seattle Seahawks roster.

The linebacker, who at this time a year ago was getting ready for Montana’s season opener against Appalachian State, will likely be the one responsible for calling Seattle’s first defensive play in the huddle when the Seahawks face the San Diego Chargers on Friday night.

“I can’t wait. Hearing all about CenturyLink (Field) and 12s and how much they love the Seahawks, I’m really excited,” Coyle said. “I can’t wait to go out there with a Seahawks uniform and play football.”

Coyle will likely make his second straight start at middle linebacker against San Diego. It’s a temporary stint for Coyle while starter Bobby Wagner recovers from a minor hamstring strain.

But it’s an opportunity Coyle couldn’t have imagined when he was passed over in the NFL draft and decided to sign with the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent.

“If you don’t believe in yourself, no one will,” Coyle said. “I’ve always prided myself on just work as hard as I can every day and when that opportunity came, I thought back and this is what I’ve worked for. For opportunities like this.”

Coyle was brought to Seattle for a pre-draft visit and he was well aware of the Seahawks’ history of giving undrafted rookies a chance to make the roster, both factors in his decision to sign. Whether it’s wide receivers Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse, or safety Jeron Johnson, the Seahawks have landed gems bypassed by everyone in the draft.

Could Coyle become the next one added to that list? Perhaps. He has the support of linebacker coach Ken Norton Jr., who was impressed by his tape and pro day numbers at Montana, which included a 4.6 40-yard dash and a 37-inch vertical leap. Oh, and the pro day was conducted outdoors in 37 degree Missoula weather.

The weather probably seemed balmy to Coyle, who was a Junior Olympic-caliber skier until his sophomore year in high school when football took over.

All that was before Norton ever met the kid. When he did, the way Coyle was absorbing knowledge stood out.

“I really liked his eyes,” Norton said. “He really looked at you. I could see that he was really intense and really purposeful.”

Coyle got his first taste last week against Denver, playing with the best defense in football last season and trying to slow down Peyton Manning. Coyle had five tackles and was in for 21 snaps on defense with another nine plays on special teams.

Whether Coyle makes Seattle’s roster will depend on how he performs the next three weeks and his contributions on special teams.

“We’re thrilled that he’s holding his own right now,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “It’s a lot to ask of a guy and he’s just handled it really well. He’s very smart, really a good worker, and he’s getting everything out of right now and so we’re really fired up about him.”

San Diego could see defensive tackle Corey Liuget make his preseason debut after missing the opener against Dallas. Liuget has been slowed by a right foot injury, but is the key cog on the Chargers’ 3-4 defense. Liuget sat out Wednesday but practiced Thursday before the team left for Seattle.

“It stinks just looking at practice,” he said. “It feels good to be back out there.”

NOTES: Seattle DE Cassius Marsh returned to practice on Thursday after leaving the practice field a day earlier with an apparent knee injury. Carroll said Marsh could possibly play Friday night. … Among Chargers not practicing and unlikely to play on Friday were wide receiver Vincent Brown (strained left calf) and defensive end Lawrence Guy (sore right shoulder). … Seattle SS Kam Chancellor (hip surgery) probably won’t make his preseason debut until next week against Chicago at the earliest, Carroll said.

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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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