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Steelers Pouncey hungry, humbled by return

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Maurkice Pouncey turned to face the cameras, his elaborately tattooed chest already covered in a fine sheen of sweat.

These are what walkthroughs are like these days for the Pittsburgh Steelers center. Call it part of the maturation process for a player barely a month removed from his 25th birthday. Call it penance for a season lost to injury. Or maybe both.

Only when the game that’s come so easy to him was taken away did Pouncey truly come to appreciate his immense talent. That includes pushing himself during an exercise meant to play like a slow-motion dress rehearsal for the real thing.

Not for Pouncey, who is currently attacking each practice like a man trying to make up for lost time. A year removed from a gruesome knee injury that threatened his career, the three-time Pro Bowler is downright giddy heading into Sunday’s opener against Cleveland.

“I feel like a rookie all over again,” Pouncey said.

In a way, he is.

A new position coach, a new contract and a newly rebuilt right knee have Pouncey earnestly trying to regain the form that made him one of the best players at his position before teammate David DeCastro rolled up on him eight plays into the 2013 season opener against Tennessee.

One second Pouncey was pulling to his left to open a hole for Isaac Redman. The next he was staring up at the sky and screaming in agony, his knee shredded and his teammates in shock. While trainers tended to him, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger knelt on the Heinz Field turn a few yards away and covered his eyes in a mixture of shock and disgust.

Surgery and eight grueling months of rehab followed, a process that forced Pouncey to watch from the sideline or on TV while the Steelers slumped to an 0-4 start on their way to a second straight 8-8 season.

Relegated to bystander, Pouncey admits he wasn’t much of a cheerleader. It’s kind of hard to wave a towel when you’re gritting your teeth.

“That was terrible,” Pouncey said. “I can’t imagine what it was like for the guys who were playing, because when you lose games like that — four in a row — everything’s different at work. It’s tough to be there, and nobody has a smile on their face.”

The smiles are back — for now — as the Steelers try to return to the playoffs after two miserable Januarys missing the postseason. And they’ll do it with the athletic, aggressive and still learning Pouncey back as the linchpin for the rest of the offense.

“His actions proved he missed football,” guard Ramon Foster said. “His rehab, his urgency … You can tell being out of football for a year, he kind of treasured the sport a little bit more.”

Any lingering concerns over his knee, which remains stabilized by a thick brace, disappeared at the beginning of training camp when Pouncey found himself mixed up with rookie linebacker Ryan Shazier. Shazier grabbed both sides of Pouncey’s jersey and threw the center to the ground.

Any other time in his football life, and Pouncey would have been furious at getting manhandled. Not this time. In that brief moment, Pouncey understood he could simply go out and play without needing second-by-second feedback from the joint at the base of his massive thighs.

“I was kind of like there it is,” Pouncey said. “I don’t even think about it anymore after that.”

He has looked much like the player who, “has that it factor” as cornerback Ike Taylor put it. New offensive line coach Mike Munchak has modified the blocking schemes a bit to take better advantage of Pouncey’s agility.

At 6-foot-4 and 304 pounds, he is strong enough to take on most defensive linemen and quick enough to seal a linebacker. It’s one of the reasons the Steelers gave him a five-year contract extension worth $44 million in June. They believe he’ll be around awhile.

So does Pouncey, who also understands part of the job description is becoming a leader away from the field. That part is a little tougher. He and brother Mike — who plays for the Miami Dolphins — are facing a civil suit stemming from a nightclub incident in Miami over the summer.

No criminal charges have been filed yet and Pouncey called the accusations “hurtful.” Maybe, but he said he’s trying to be more pragmatic about how he spends his free time. Not that there will be much over the next six months or so. Not with a career to revive and a franchise to lead back to the promised land.

“We definitely need a bounce-back year because we went two years without the playoffs,” he said. “Our bounce-back year should’ve been last year, so we definitely need that to happen this year.”

NOTES: WR Martavis Bryant (shoulder) and WR Lance Moore (groin) did not practice on Wednesday. … CB Brice McCain (groin) was limited while TE Matt Spaeth (hamstring), LB Sean Spence (knee) and LS Greg Warren (knee) were full participants.

___

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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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