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Bills QB Manuel out to prove himself in 2nd year

By WTOP Staff

JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Whether resolving questions on injuries or inconsistency, Bills quarterback EJ Manuel knows he has plenty to prove in showing he’s a bona fide starter entering his second NFL season.

Another reminder of how far Manuel has to go came this week when he was bypassed for one of six team captain designations in a vote of Bills players.

That’s fair and understandable, Manuel said Wednesday, noting his own votes were restricted to established veterans.

“You have to earn your stripes in the NFL,” Manuel said. “Nothing’s going to be handed to you in the NFL. You have to work for it. And I’m going to continue to allow it to motivate myself and be better for my teammates.”

The process resumes Sunday, when the former first-round draft pick out of Florida State begins his second season behind center in Buffalo’s opener at Chicago.

“I think being able to show that on Sunday is huge,” Manuel said. “And that’s why I say I want to keep my focus on Chicago, because that’s the most important thing to me. I can’t control what’s happened in the past. You have to move and look forward.”

Manuel’s past in Buffalo is a mixed bag of promising flashes, failed opportunities and hampered development after an injury-shortened rookie season.

He got the Bills off to a 2-2 start, including a 24-23 win over Carolina, which he won with a touchdown pass to Stevie Johnson with 2 seconds remaining. The wheels fell off in Week 5, when Manuel was sidelined with the second of three knee injuries he sustained last season.

In missing five of the final 11 games, Manuel finished with a 4-6 record. He threw 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions and finished with a 77.7 passer rating that ranked 25th among players with 250 or more attempts.

Though he’s been injury-free so far, the big step in development the Bills want from Manuel hasn’t been evident on a retooled offense that struggled to finish this preseason.

Manuel and the starters failed to score a touchdown on their first 18 preseason drives before finally scoring on consecutive third-quarter possessions against Tampa Bay’s second-stringers in a 27-14 loss on Aug. 23. Buffalo’s starters finished the preseason with two touchdowns and four field goals on 23 possessions.

Manuel and coach Doug Marrone chalk up the lack of production to not wanting to reveal too much of their offense in preseason games. The results, however, weren’t encouraging for a unit that upgraded its receivers by adding veteran Mike Williams and selecting Sammy Watkins with the No. 4 pick in the draft.

No worries, said Marrone.

“I’m excited. I’m not really looking at it and saying, ‘Oh, gosh,'” said Marrone, who said Manuel has made better throws and been more decisive in his reads.

The focus now is not putting too much on Manuel’s shoulders.

“There’s 11 guys out there,” Marrone said. “So you’ve just got to go out there and do what’s asked of you and not try to press.”

That doesn’t mean Manuel has arrived just yet.

“When you’re a young quarterback, you’ve got to prove yourself, so there’s a reason he feels that way,” veteran running back and captain Fred Jackson said. “He has to go out there and make plays for us, lead for us, put guys in situations to make plays. And we expect that from him. He knows everybody in this locker room is behind him.”

Center Eric Wood, another team captain, also has confidence in Manuel.

“He showed me enough over the past year to make me think he’s going to go out and play well. I’m fired up,” Wood said.

Manuel shrugged off questions of his past deficiencies by saying he’s focused solely on playing Chicago.

“That’s the first thing. I don’t focus on answering criticism or anything like that,” Manuel said. “I think if we win games, that’ll alleviate everything.”

___

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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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