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Seattle hopes offensive roll will continue

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Throughout the preseason, quarterback Russell Wilson and the starting offense of the Seattle Seahawks were never really stopped.

Wilson was on the field for 13 possessions in the four preseason games. He directed Seattle to touchdowns on nine possessions, two field goals and just one punt in those 13 opportunities.

During one stretch in the second and third preseason games, Seattle scored on nine consecutive possessions with Wilson under center and the streak was only broken when a lengthy field goal attempt hit an upright.

It’s was an impressive rate of success, even for games that don’t have much meaning or have opponents game planning to try and stop the Seahawks offense.

How much that can carry into the regular season is one of the biggest questions for Seattle headed into Thursday night’s season opener against Green Bay.

The Seahawks have a pretty good idea of what they are going to get from a defense that was the best in the NFL a season ago and returns mostly intact. But if the offense can be more consistent than a year ago, the Seahawks could look like the team that dominated the Super Bowl.

“I think we expect it to. That’s the only thing we have to look at going into the year,” Seattle tight end Zach Miller said. “Obviously we practice against a very good defense so that helps.

“Almost every chance we’ve gotten the football we’ve put points on the board so with the way Russell is just growing and becoming a better player I think our offense that’s the expectation when we get the football.”

Seattle returned to practice on Sunday to begin prepping for the Packers with wide receiver Percy Harvin on the field after missing the final preseason game at Oakland last week for personal reasons. Not that Seattle missed Harvin in Oakland with the starters getting only a handful of plays.

Wilson was in for all of four plays against the Raiders, completing three passes for 77 yards and throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass. Wilson finished the preseason 33 of 42 for 437 yards, three touchdown passes and a QB rating of 133.8, the second best for any quarterback during the preseason. He added another three touchdowns on the ground.

As a nod to the potential potency of their offense, the Seahawks kept seven wide receivers and three tight ends on their final 53-man roster. While that’s likely to be in flux throughout the season, it’s the most pass catchers coach Pete Carroll has kept on the initial roster to start any of his five seasons as Seattle’s coach.

Consider Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy among those that believe what Seattle showed during the preseason could be the Seahawks reality on the offensive side.

“I think you have to be very impressed with their offense,” McCarthy said. “On Russell Wilson and their ability to stay in favorable down and distance and keep the mix of the run and the pass. They’ve always been outstanding running the football, but they look like they’re a lot more balanced now, and very dynamic in the perimeter.”

NOTES: Of all the moves Seattle made on cut day, the most surprising was a trade that acquired CB Marcus Burley from Indianapolis for a late-round pick. Seattle opted against keeping veteran Phillip Adams or youngster Akeem Auguste and instead brought in Burley who was on the fringe of making the Colts roster. Burley said he was surprised when he got word of the trade. “I think I had a pretty good preseason. Always strive to get better, always hard working and striving to get better, but I think I had a pretty good preseason. I was shocked, excited all at the same time.” … Seattle finalized eight spots on its practice squad Sunday, bringing back TE RaShaun Allen, RB Demitrius Bronson, QB B.J Daniels, T Nate Isles, WR Chris Matthews, S Terrance Parks, DT Jimmy Staten, S Steven Terrell. All eight were in training camp with the Seahawks. Seattle has two spots remaining on its practice squad.

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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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