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Kearse has gone from undrafted to lock for Seattle

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Jermaine Kearse sat quietly at the podium for 15 minutes while to his left sat Kobe Bryant and Richard Sherman, and on his right was Grammy winning hip-hop artist Macklemore, all answering questions.

Not once was Kearse asked a question during his appearance at the recent charity event, even if the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver was the only one to have scored a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

“They kept naming everyone and they skipped me. That was messed up,” Kearse joked on Sunday.

Once an undrafted free agent and seeming longshot to make the Seahawks roster, Kearse might now fall into the category of being a lock when the final 53-man roster is submitted at the end of the preseason. It’s a rise from being overlooked coming out of college to becoming established in the NFL that has become a familiar story for the Seahawks.

Kearse’s numbers do not scream of being a lock. He has 25 career catches in two seasons. But his knack for making important plays and contributing on special teams has his spot seeming secure.

“I just try and take every year as a new year in just trying to make the team again,” Kearse said. “I don’t like getting complacent.”

Looking back on last season, Kearse made two of the biggest catches — bookends — during Seattle’s Super Bowl run.

The first came in the season opener at Carolina, when he hauled in a leaping 43-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson that gave Seattle the lead in the fourth quarter of the 12-7 victory. Then came his 35-yard touchdown catch in the NFC championship game against San Francisco on a fourth-quarter, fourth-down play that gave Seattle the lead for good.

The Super Bowl was just the capper. Kearse had a season-high four receptions and a spinning, tackle-breaking 23-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the blowout victory over Denver.

Kearse was already receiving an expanded role last season, but when Sidney Rice went down midseason with a torn ACL, the amount he needed to contribute increased.

“Sid even came up to me after that, he came up to me and said, ‘This is your opportunity. Go out there and do the best that you can, make your plays when they come to you,’ and that shows you the type of group that we have. Especially with Sid, he was one of my really good friends, not just a teammate. Just to have that conversation with him and for him to tell me to go out there and ball. I took that in and tried to do the best that I could.”

Rice’s retirement the day before the start of training camp took many by surprise. But how Kearse played last season lessened the concern.

“At the end of the day, the other guys are stepping up and looking tremendous right now,” Wilson said. “To have a tall receiver like Sidney definitely does help. His catching range is unbelievable, but I definitely believe Jermaine Kearse is going to be able to replace that … and be able to make that step.”

This is a big season for Kearse’s future and he seems to understand the possibility. This is the final year of his first contract and Kearse can be a restricted free agent next offseason. He just saw teammate Doug Baldwin, also undrafted out of college, sign a three-year extension for up to $13 million.

“I think it’s just trying to set myself up for bigger things. I’m just trying to be the best I can,” Kearse said. “A lot of people try and label me as a No. 3 or No. 4 receiver. I’m trying to take it further than that.”

NOTES: WR Kevin Norwood missed his second straight practice with a sore foot. Rookie DT Jimmy Staten could also be out a while after suffering a pulled hamstring, coach Pete Carroll said. … RB Christine Michael “banged” his shoulder during practice Sunday and was pulled out, but Carroll said he should be good to practice Tuesday. … WR Percy Harvin returned to practice after resting on Saturday.

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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