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Titans hope having more winners helps turnaround

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Pro Football Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Finding his locker parked in the middle of the defensive backs left linebacker Wesley Woodyard feeling nervous as he joined the Titans.

A defensive captain in Denver, Woodyard wasn’t quite sure what to think.

Turns out the Titans knew exactly what they were doing with the locker assignment.

“Now it’s cool,” Woodyard said. “I’m sitting next to Mike Griffin and Blidi Wreh-Wilson and across from Bernard Pollard, and those are the guys I have to communicate with. Now it all makes sense that I also have the linebackers in my (meeting) room with me. I’m just excited to be able to be in the center of the locker room and be a guy that everybody can talk to.”

Tennessee hasn’t reached the postseason since 2008, and turning around a franchise mired in mediocrity needs talent and winning experience. The Titans added some winners a year ago in safety Bernard Pollard and tight end Delanie Walker, with right tackle Michael Oher and linebackers Woodyard and Shaun Phillips this offseason and new coach Ken Whisenhunt.

Walker and Pollard did what they could in 2013 with the tight end catching a career-high 60 passes and the safety having a career-high with 152 tackles. But it wasn’t nearly enough as Jake Locker missed nine games due to injuries, and the Titans decided to fire Mike Munchak after three seasons.

Titans president and CEO Tommy Smith replaced Munchak with Whisenhunt, who won a Super Bowl as offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh and was head coach taking the 2008 Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl. General manager Ruston Webster followed that by signing Woodyard and Phillips, who both played in the Super Bowl in February with Denver.

Webster also added Oher, who won the 2013 Super Bowl with Pollard while teammates in Baltimore. The Titans signed running back Dexter McCluster, who was a Pro Bowl punt returner too.

Pollard said players who have reached the Super Bowl understand what it takes to win and how to prepare for games that matter most in November and December. They also help hold teammates accountable for missed assignments and mistakes with a winning mindset that Pollard sees spreading through the Titans.

“We have guys that are hungry, and we have to bring that winning attitude,” Pollard said. “It’s going to be different, be a lot different this year. There’s no outs, no outs this year, none whatsoever. That’s the exciting part about seeing what Mr. Smith and Ruston have done.”

The Titans’ goal is reaching the playoffs this season in Whisenhunt’s debut, and the coach said he hopes that changing the team’s mindset about expectations already has started. He said the Titans saw how he and his assistants work through the offseason, Whisenhunt installing the offense and coordinator Ray Horton putting in the new defense.

“One of the things that I like about this group, we have a lot of good leadership, a lot of good, young leadership,” Whisenhunt said. “We’ve got some guys like Wesley Woodyard that played with a playoff football team, that was one of the best in the league last year. They bring a lot to the table from the leadership perspective that way.”

The Titans needed the help. Left tackle Michael Roos is the longest tenured Titan, drafted in 2005, and he has been part of only two playoff teams and three with winning seasons. Griffin and tight end Craig Stevens are the only other Titans to play in the postseason with this franchise, though veteran receiver Nate Washington also won two Super Bowls in Pittsburgh.

Washington said going into his sixth season without a playoff appearance has put quite a chip on his shoulder. All the new players have stoked the Titans’ desire even more.

“It makes us work even harder,” Washington said.

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Online:

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

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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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