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Bucs use entire draft to bolster sagging offense

By WTOP Staff

FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defied the odds by using their entire draft to upgrade a struggling offense, and the smile on Lovie Smith’s face suggested he couldn’t be happier about it.

A one-time defensive coordinator who had a long successful run as coach of the Chicago Bears because of his ability to put players in a position to stop opponents is confident his bid to turn around a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2007 is headed in the right direction after selecting six players with the potential to help the Bucs get into the end zone more often.

“You can’t assume people are a certain way. I do believe in offensive football. You can’t win by just playing defense,” Smith said. “I’ve been saying that. I think now the actions are speaking a little bit louder than the words.”

The Bucs spent the first two days of the draft surrounding Josh McCown with playmakers. The final day was about improving protection for their new starting quarterback.

Smith continued the overhaul of an offense that ranked 30th in scoring and last in passing and total yardage a year ago, selecting Tennessee State Kadeem Edwards early in the fifth round and pulling off a trade to enable the Bucs to add Purdue tackle Kevin Pamphile later in the round.

Sixth-round pick, Wyoming receiver Robert Herron, was the final selection for Tampa Bay, which used its entire draft on offensive players for the first time in franchise history.

Tampa Bay drafted receiver Mike Evans, tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins and running back Charles Sims in the first three rounds.

“It wasn’t the plan,” first-year general manager Jason Licht said. “It just fell that way.”

Offensive line became a priority this offseason following the release of guard Davin Joseph and tackle Donald Penn, one-time Pro Bowl picks who became expendable when their performance declined during last year’s 4-12 finish.

The Bucs didn’t have a turn in the fourth round because of the 2013 deal that brought Darrelle Revis to town for one season. Saturday’s maneuvering in the fifth round left them with only one more pick, the sixth-rounder used to take the speedy Herron, who will compete for a spot to play slot receiver and return punts.

“Today was just another piece of the puzzle,” Licht said, adding there’s still work to be done in free agency, including the recruiting of undrafted prospects. “We’re still plugging away at it.”

The 6-foot-4, 313-pound Edwards was the third pick of the fifth round, No. 143 overall. The Bucs traded a seventh-round pick this year and one of the two fifth-rounder they scheduled to have in 2015 to move up and select the 6-5, 315-pound Pamphile, who began his college career as a defensive lineman before shifting to offensive tackle during his red-shirt sophomore season.

The linemen grew up in Florida — Edwards in nearby Sanford, and Pamphile in Miami — and both are excited about having an opportunity to play closer to home.

“It feels amazing,” Pamphile said. “It was kind of tough for my family to come see me all the way up at Purdue.”

Edwards said he doesn’t anticipate having a problem with the transition of playing at Football Championship Division school to the NFL. He was invited to play in the Senior Bowl and feels he’ll benefit from the experience of practicing with and playing against upper-tier competition.

“It helped me out a lot because it showed me a pro-style tempo of practice, and it’s good competition,” Edwards said. “I had to really get in my playbook. … I always studied a lot, but I really had to get in my playbook and execute my assignments.”

The Bucs signed two new starters for the offensive line in free agency — tackle Anthony Collins and center Evan Dietrich-Smith. The team is also counting on veteran guard Carl Nicks returning to the lineup and playing well after missing most of the past two seasons because of injuries and a MRSA infection.

Draft picks will fly to Tampa on Sunday; participate in meetings, get physicals and meet veterans participating in the offseason program on Monday, and be on the practice field Tuesday. A three-day rookie minicamp convenes next weekend.

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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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