Skip to main content

All quiet at Denver Broncos camp this summer

By WTOP Staff

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Sylvester Williams plucked Peyton Manning’s throw out of the air, then the 313-pound defensive tackle raced around the right side, flipping the ball to safety Quinton Carter, who promptly dropped it with nobody between him and the end zone 50 yards away.

Crickets.

Williams smothered the ball, giving him an interception and a fumble recovery on the same play, the kind of thing that would normally draw a roar from the crowd at the Denver Broncos’ training camp.

Not this year.

The only ones watching practice Friday were reporters, construction workers and a few others, including former soccer great Denis Irwin of Manchester United, in town for a friendly against AS Roma in the Guinness International Champions Cup at Sports Authority Field.

The Broncos are holding training camp in relative seclusion this summer. Fans aren’t allowed to attend practices because of a $35 million makeover of the team’s training complex that won’t be finished until October.

Peyton Manning said these stealthy workouts are noticeably different without the fans.

“We are going to miss them all training camp,” Manning said. “Obviously, it’s an unavoidable situation with the construction and the logistics of it. Certainly, the building is going to be first class. I think it’s much needed and it had to be done, but the disappointment is the fans couldn’t come to training camp.

“I like having the fans out here during practice, especially when you get into that third or fourth padded practice and it’s kind of the dog days of training camp, those fans lift you up.”

More fans will actually get to see the Broncos this summer than ever before because the team is holding two practices at Sports Authority Field in addition to its annual scrimmage, all within the next week.

In 15 Dove Valley practices last season, a total of 41,925 fans came out to see the Broncos. Another 44,439 attended the stadium scrimmage, giving them a training camp record attendance of 86,364.

When the project is completed, the Broncos expect to be able to accommodate three times as many fans at Dove Valley, where average attendance at training camp last year was 2,795.

Fans missed out on a memorable play with Williams’ first interception of Manning and his decision to pitch the football to Carter.

“It was a long way from the end zone, like 60 yards. So, somebody would have caught me,” Williams explained. “So, I decided to pitch it. And I saw him right there and he pretty much had the open field.”

Trouble is, Williams said, he never was an option quarterback in his youth.

“And that’s probably why he dropped it,” Williams said. “I probably threw the ball too hard. I’ve got to take a little bit off of it next time.”

Notes: Members of AS Roma showed up after practice and hobnobbed with Manning, tight end Julius Thomas and kicker Matt Prater, among others, for about half an hour. Some of them tried their hand at putting on football helmets or kicking line-drive field goals. … DE Derek Wolfe, who missed the last half of last season after suffering a seizure in November, showed he’s back to full health when he zipped past LT Ryan Clady and disrupted a handoff to RB Montee Ball on Friday. … Second-year pro Kayvon Webster is practicing with the starting defense with Chris Harris Jr. (ACL) still sidelined. … RB Brennan Clay has a bruised right thigh.

___

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote