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Mitchell focusing on playing cleaner for Steelers

By WTOP Staff

DALE GRDNIC
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — For a player who believed he was being targeted by the NFL after being fined five times last season, new Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Mike Mitchell has transformed his attitude and his style of play.

“I’ve adjusted to the new rules changes,” Mitchell said Thursday, “and just looked forward to playing clean football and not getting fined this year.”

After four seasons with the Oakland Raiders and one with the Carolina Panthers, Mitchell is expected to earn a starting role in the Steelers’ secondary this season.

Though Mitchell might have toned down his heavy-hitting ways, he still plans to make an immediate impact in due to his ball-hawking skills. The Steelers had just 10 interceptions last year, 29th in the NFL, while Mitchell had four picks in one season with Carolina.

“I guess I made some big plays, but that was just me sticking my toe in the water,” Mitchell said. “I expect to make even bigger and better plays this year, and I have a great guy to learn from in Troy Polamalu. . I don’t know if I’ll be jumping over the center, but I do plan on taking the ball away.”

That’s been a major issue in recent years for the Steelers, who haven’t created more than 20 turnovers in a season since 2010 even as they have remained near the top of the league in yards allowed. Mitchell isn’t wasting any time getting settled during the first organized team activities.

“I had a great break on a ball today and should have picked it, but A.B. (Antonio Brown) did a good job getting his hands up there,” Mitchell said. “I should have brought it down. . Shamarko (Thomas) is leading the way with one pick, but I should have had one, too.”

Thomas, a fourth-round pick last year, has not been able to get on the field often enough to make the kind of splash plays the team so desperately needs, but expects to have more opportunities this season.

“Sure, I want to do a lot more this year,” Thomas said. “I have three veteran safeties to learn from in Troy, Mike and Will Allen. Mike, he brings a lot of athleticism to the group, and he’s made some great reads on the ball.”

Mitchell has played for three teams in three seasons, but the six-year NFL veteran believes there are some good points to go with the bad ones.

“It’s bad, because I’ve had to leave some good friends behind,” said Mitchell, who turns 27 next month. “But it’s good, because I’ve been able to have a lot of different experiences, playing for different coaches and different schemes. That’s why this transition . Coach (Dick) LeBeau’s defense isn’t easy, but I’ve actually picked it up fairly well.”

Mitchell believes playing in so many different defensive systems may actually be to his advantage.

“In Oakland, I felt like I played for three different teams in four years, because we were always changing head coaches,” Mitchell said. “So, learning a new scheme is nothing that’s too different for me. I think that I’ve handled it well. (And) I made a couple plays this week, but there’s many more to be made.”

NOTES: The Steelers signed CB Shaquille Richardson from Arizona, their fifth-round pick, and have five of nine draft choices under contract. … The top four picks are still unsigned, though they should come into the fold soon. Pittsburgh will free up $8 million in cap space when the March release of linebacker LaMarr Woodley officially hits the books. … The club signed two players Thursday and released two. They signed rookie free agent offensive lineman Emmanuel McCray and claimed cornerback Deion Belue off waivers from the Miami Dolphins. … To make room on the roster, the Steelers released offensive linemen Nik Embernate and Kaycee Ike.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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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