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Bills’ hopes hinge on familiar question: QB

By WTOP Staff

JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Ralph Wilson often lamented the one obstacle standing in the way of the Bills’ success during their current 14-season playoff drought was a failure to identify a franchise quarterback.

From Alex Van Pelt to Drew Bledsoe and now EJ Manuel, none of the eight quarterbacks who started at least eight games for Buffalo since 2000 has held the job beyond three seasons. And only one, Bledsoe in 2004, led the team to a winning record.

With the Bills up for sale after Wilson, the franchise founder and Hall of Fame owner, died in March, the quarterback position remains a question mark under Manuel, the latest heir apparent.

The big leap in development the Bills were seeking has yet to materialize from the first-round draft pick entering his second year following an inconsistent and injury-plagued rookie season.

“With EJ, obviously we’re looking for him to progress and to keep coming along,” coach Doug Marrone said. “We’re going to stick with him. I’m going to support him 110 percent. And we’re going to get him better.”

Marrone added he’s looking for more production from everyone on offense in preparing to open the season at Chicago on Sept. 7.

Though the defense under new coordinator Jim Schwartz remains Buffalo’s strength, the offense continues to be a work in progress. And a cause for frustration on a team that has not won more than six games since 2008.

Those frustrations boiled over during a 27-14 preseason loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday, when the Bills were booed off the field trailing 24-0 at halftime.

Marrone said the boos were deserved.

Running back Fred Jackson said the offense can’t let itself be defined by yet another poor performance. And second-year receiver Marquise Goodwin took to Twitter in questioning Bills fans’ loyalties by writing: “Looks like we will have to play against our own ‘fans’ this year.”

Goodwin stood by his comments Monday.

“It’s just something that I felt at the time, I felt like it needed to be said,” Goodwin said. “Obviously, everybody knows what happened. We didn’t come out. We didn’t have a good first half and whatnot for whatever reason.”

It wasn’t the first time. The starters went 18 straight preseason possessions without scoring a touchdown until Manuel hit receiver Mike Williams on Buffalo’s first drive of the third quarter against the Buccaneers’ second-stringers.

Here are some more things to look out for from the Bills:

STOPPING THE RUN: Schwartz has quickly transformed the defense into a run-stuffing unit. Buffalo’s starters have allowed 80 yards rushing on 40 carries through their first four preseason games. That’s a marked improvement after the Bills allowed 150-plus yards rushing seven times last season.

Schwartz is the former Lions head coach who took over in Buffalo after Mike Pettine left for Cleveland.

The Bills also added run-stuffing middle linebacker Brandon Spikes in free agency.

“I don’t want to get ahead of that stuff but, hey, the proof’s in the pudding,” Spikes said, praising Schwartz. “He wants us getting vertical, getting disruptive, causing havoc.”

WATKINS WATCH: Rookie receiver Sammy Watkins made numerous highlight-reel catches, including a one-handed grab after stumbling while making his cut, in the first three weeks of camp before being sidelined by bruised ribs.

Watkins is expected to be ready for the opener, and has been lining up across from Williams, acquired in an offseason trade with Tampa Bay. The Bills invested plenty in Watkins by trading next year’s first-round pick to move up five spots and take him fourth overall.

O-LINE SHUFFLE: The offensive line was in flux until Marrone settled on his starting five last week. Center Eric Wood and left tackle Cordy Glenn are the only returning starters.

Rookie Seantrel Henderson takes over at right tackle, replacing Erik Pears, who shifts to right guard. Free agent Chris Williams will start at left guard.

MARRONE ON EDGE: Whether it’s providing terse answers to reporters, or blowing up at his players during practice, Marrone’s emotions have shown through entering his second season.

Marrone, most notably, lit into his players on the final day of camp following a series of fights and post-whistle shoves.

“This year, it’s critical to get us over the top,” Marrone said, referring to his edgier demeanor. “I’m doing everything I possibly can to get us over the top. And if intensity is the answer, yeah, I’m intense.”

FOR SALE: One reason Marrone might be upping his intensity level is that his future is uncertain with new ownership expected to be identified by as early as October.

Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula are considered the front-runners to buy the team among a short list of prospective finalists that includes New York City real estate mogul Donald Trump, and a Toronto-based group led by rocker Jon Bon Jovi.

___

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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