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Lions TE Eric Ebron loves to prove doubters wrong

By WTOP Staff

LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Lions tight end Eric Ebron claims he has taken some criticism on Twitter about dropping passes.

“When they do, I love it,” he insisted. “I love when people talk about me. That way when I prove you wrong, it looks bad on you, not me.”

Ebron displayed flashes of promise Monday at practice, quickly running routes and leaping to make catches. The rookie also proved he has a lot to learn, cutting in when he should have stayed outside on at least one snap.

“New play,” he said. “Working on it.”

When the Lions drafted Ebron at No. 10 overall in May, some wondered how it would work to have a trio of tight ends on the roster.

Ebron has already showed he is athletic enough to line up as a slot receiver. He also may be used in some three-tight end formations with Brandon Pettigrew and Joseph Fauria. Lining up Ebron all over the field does add to his learning curve coming out of North Carolina.

“It’s a difficult position to play because you’re literally learning all four positions,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “Often times to the untrained eye, the guy lines up in so many different places that it’s not an easy task. He’s getting accustomed to it.”

While Ebron’s confidence comes across easily in any conversation, he does acknowledge not having everything figured out yet. After a week of practicing with Detroit’s full squad, Ebron is ready to face someone other than his teammates. He is excited to make his professional debut — albeit in an exhibition game — Saturday night at home against Cleveland.

The Lions may not want to show future opponents all of the possibilities with Pettigrew, Fauria and Ebron against the Browns, but first-year offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi is likely going to put them all on the field in different formations when the games count.

“That’s what I believe is the go-to formation, one of our key formations, one of our new adjustments, to have all three tight ends in the game,” Ebron said. “We can all do something.”

Pettigrew is the team’s best blocking tight end and he had career highs with 83 receptions, 777 yards receiving and five touchdowns in 2011 when the franchise broke its 11-season postseason drought. Fauria, as an undrafted rookie last year, scored on seven of his 18 catches and is much more of a receiver than a blocker.

The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Ebron, meanwhile, seems to have the skills to do it all, including being a No. 3 wide receiver of sorts between Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate.

“That’s why I’m here, I believe,” he said. “That’s why they drafted me, to help them in the slot and in formations to break coverages and make things hard on defenses.”

After Monday’s practice, he spent extra time working on routes against linebacker DeAndre Levy and caught footballs fired out of a JUGS machine. He kept things loose, too.

With Fauria’s shoulder pads and jersey at Ebron’s feet to carry into the locker room, a ritual for rookies, he shouted out a request to veteran running back Reggie Bush.

“Hey Bush!” Ebron yelled. “You want to carry my pads?”

Following his interviews, he extended a pen toward Caldwell as if it was a recording device during his post-practice news conference. The fun-loving Ebron always appears to be in a good mood.

“You’re playing in the NFL, what can you be mad about?” he asked. “There’s like 1 percent of the people who get to do that.”

NOTES: The Lions released WR Reese Wiggins. … CB Darius Slay left the field, returned about 30 minutes later and did not participate in the rest of practice. Caldwell said Slay hurt his neck while covering Tate, but said he would practice Tuesday afternoon. … DE Ezekiel Ansah (shoulder) appears to be getting closer for an OK to practice. … Former Lions Herman Moore, Lomas Brown, Luther Ellis and Dre Bly watched practice. Bly, visiting with the Lions for the first time since they cut him in 2010, said he was scheduled to speak with the team’s rookies.

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Online:

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

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Follow Larry Lage on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/larrylage

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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