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Worilds, Steelers gambling on big season

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Keith Butler sat Jason Worilds down over the summer and laid it all out there. No real need to ignore the stakes. Not when they’re this high.

Over the course of their conversation, the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach said it’s time to get serious for the player the organization is tasking with becoming the next link in a linebacker heritage that stretches from James Harrison to Joey Porter to the foundation of the Steel Curtain four decades ago.

“He’s got a lot of stuff in front of him in terms of how the rest of his life goes,” Butler said. “He knows that.”

And just in case Worilds ever needs a reminder, a quick glance at the extra zeroes on his paycheck provides proof.

The Steelers rewarded Worilds for his breakout 2013 season in which he led the team with eight sacks by cutting veteran LaMarr Woodley and handing Worilds a one-year deal that bumped his salary to $9.75 million, 10 times the amount he made last fall.

While Pittsburgh hoped to sign Worilds to a more salary cap friendly long-term contract, the two sides remain apart heading Sunday’s opener against Cleveland. If the season begins without an extension, the next four months will turn into one long extended tryout.

If the 26-year-old Worilds can bump his sack total to double digits while helping lead the Steelers back to the playoffs, he’ll become one of the highest paid players at his position in the league.

And if he doesn’t? Well, the understated Worilds isn’t quite ready to go there.

“I don’t really try to look that too far ahead,” he said. “I just try to be the best I can day in and day out and hopefully everything will fall into place.”

They did last fall when Worilds finally stepped out of the considerable shadow cast by Harrison — released in March, 2013 — and the talented but often injured Woodley. Worilds survived an early season benching in favor of rookie Jarvis Jones to become the force the Steelers were envisioning when they selected the former Virginia Tech star in the second round of the 2010 draft.

Butler could see it coming. Stuck behind two Pro Bowlers early in his career, Worilds struggled with his confidence, his health and his and his sense of place, a common malady for linebackers trying to transition into defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau’s intricate 3-4 scheme.

“Jason’s always been a fast guy,” Butler said. “He didn’t always know exactly what he’s doing. Sometimes he’d be hesitant in what he’s doing but he’s always been fast. If he got the chance for an extended period, he was going to be good.”

That chance didn’t come until the Steelers were off to a bumpy 0-4 start, exacerbated by a pass rush that lost some of its signature snarl. Worilds provided the needed spark. His No. 93 jersey a blur at times as it sped past sluggish offensive tackles, Worilds delivered on his considerable promise as Pittsburgh rallied to 8-8.

Pittsburgh saw enough from Worilds to eat a sizable chunk of the money it owed Woodley and invest a portion of the rest on Worilds, who lacks Harrison’s menacing persona and Woodley’s “Superkick” sack dance but tries to make up for it with quickness and guile. Press Worilds on if he has anything special planned if should he find himself on top of Cleveland rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel on Sunday and he just shakes his head.

“I’m not into that cute stuff,” Worilds said with a laugh.

That’s fine by the Steelers. It’s telling of the way both sides do business that Worilds’ uncertain status hardly came up during training camp even as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger politely dealt with a series of questions about his future even though he’s signed through the end of 2015.

There’s little doubt Roethlisberger is a part of Pittsburgh’s long-term plans. Worilds hopes to say the same. Until then, he’s OK with having to prove 2013 was no fluke.

“I just have to do it every time I step on the field,” he said. “That’s the only way for you to be the player you aspire to be, for us to be the defense that we aspire to be.”

A defense that needs Worilds to lead a charge into opposing backfields. The Steelers finished with just 34 sacks last season, tied for 25th in the league. That number needs to go up even if Worilds declines to speculate on how many of those have to go next to his name.

“If I have 30 sacks and we go 8-8 really, what did we do?” he said. “We didn’t do anything.”

Worilds is exaggerating, at least a little. Six months from now he’ll likely be signing a lucrative extension in Pittsburgh or looking for work elsewhere. His teammates aren’t expecting him to go anywhere regardless of the pressure he faces at the moment.

“He knows his opportunity and he knows in order for him to get that money, he’s got to produce,” safety Ike Taylor said. “That’s what he’s going to do.”

NOTES: WR Martavis Bryant (shoulder) and WR Lance Moore (groin) missed practice for the second straight day on Thursday and likely won’t play on Sunday. … TE Matt Spaeth (hamstring), LB Sean Spence (knee) and long snapper Greg Warren (knee) practiced and are expected to play.

___

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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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