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Roos busy teaching, holding off Titans’ top pick

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Left tackle Michael Roos knows exactly what’s going on with the Tennessee Titans identifying his eventual replacement with their first selection in the NFL draft.

He’s already been through this scenario, with one difference: Roos was the highly drafted rookie in 2005.

Roos learned from veteran Brad Hopkins while playing right tackle for a season before taking over that position for the next eight years. Now Roos is busy teaching Taylor Lewan, the No. 11 pick overall, while trying to hold him off with one year left on his own contract.

“It was going to happen eventually,” Roos said. “You can’t play forever. So at some point somebody’s going to come in. It doesn’t matter who you are. There’s a younger kid at some point who’s either going to push you or just replace you. It was bound to happen at some point.

“We’ll see if I can hold him off.”

The 6-foot-7 Roos has been in the starting lineup since being drafted him in the second round out of Eastern Washington in 2005. He even started his first NFL game at left tackle before swinging to right tackle the rest of his rookie season. Hopkins retired, and Roos moved to left tackle where he has started 128 of his 143 games missing only once in 2012 due to an appendectomy.

Only four men have started more games on the offensive line for this franchise than Roos, and two of those are in the Hall of Fame in Bruce Matthews and former head coach Mike Munchak. Roos is poised to pass Benji Olsen (152) and could tie Munchak with 159 games by starting every game this season.

Roos, 31, has only one year left on his current contract. He said offensive line coach Bob Bostad called when the Titans drafted Lewan out of Michigan as the third left tackle selected and told him that the veteran was their guy at left tackle.

“I’m here for one more year as far as I know,” Roos said. “And I’ve been blocking the blind side for nine years, and I’ll do that for one more year. If there’s more, there’s more. If not, I’ll find out what else I’m doing. Until I’m told otherwise, I’m here.”

Lewan, also 6-7, said he feels more comfortable at left tackle where he’s played his entire career. He credits Roos with helping him on details setting up for pass protection or when run blocking. But the rookie wants to play as soon as possible.

“No one likes riding the bench,” Lewan said.

The Titans also have another veteran at tackle in Michael Oher, signed to a four-year deal in March. Oher has played all 80 games in his first five seasons, not counting 10 playoff games. Tennessee signed Oher to replace David Stewart at right tackle.

Right now, Lewan is practicing in the team’s organized team activities that started Tuesday at both left and right tackle backing up Roos and Oher. Coach Ken Whisenhunt has said Lewan will start if the rookie earns that right. Asked how Roos and Oher are handling the addition of Lewan, Whisenhunt noted both are veterans.

“That’s what this league’s all about,” Whisenhunt said. “It’s about competition. So they’ve been very good pros. They’ve worked hard, done everything we’ve asked of them and I’m excited about both those guys.”

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Online:

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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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