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Manziel works with Browns starters for first time

By WTOP Staff

TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Johnny Manziel took a planned trip one slot up the depth chart. There’s no telling how long No. 2 will stay No. 1.

The rookie quarterback took snaps with Cleveland’s starters for the first time in practice at training camp on Monday, moving ahead of Brian Hoyer for at least one day.

Coach Mike Pettine said Manziel’s promotion was simply the next step in the club’s evaluation of the two quarterbacks in the second full week of their competition for the starting job.

“It’s just part of our plan,” Pettine said. “We said we were going to allow the quarterbacks to compete, at some point you’ve got to mix up the supporting cast a little bit. It’s all part of it.”

Manziel’s promotion — planned or not — caused quite a stir at Browns camp as another large crowd lined the fields behind team headquarters to get a close look at Hoyer vs. Johnny Football.

Pettine knew the decision to move the popular Manziel in with the starters would cause a commotion.

“That’s great,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “That comes with the territory.”

Manziel had worked exclusively with Cleveland’s second-string offense until Monday, when Hoyer was dropped back with the subs.

Pettine cautioned not to look deeper into the change and said there’s still a strong chance Hoyer will start Saturday’s exhibition opener in Detroit. Pettine said Manziel’s performance in Saturday’s scrimmage at Akron, where he made plays with his arm and legs, had no bearing on him practicing with the starters.

“It’s just something we wanted to work them both in and it’s part of our process,” he said.

On his first play of 11-on-11 drills, Manziel completed a 40-yard pass to wide receiver Travis Benjamin, who came back to grab the underthrown ball. Moments later, Manziel’s tipped pass intended for Josh Gordon was intercepted by safety Donte Whitner.

Manziel completed 6 of 17 passes during the practice, and Hoyer was 11 of 22.

After reviewing the tape, Pettine said both quarterbacks made progress during the Akron scrimmage, where Manziel showed some of the elusive scrambling ability which helped him win the Heisman Trophy as a freshman at Texas A&M.

“I think both quarterbacks took steps,” he said. “I thought they both played to their skillset. I thought Johnny did a good job making some plays with his feet, keeping plays alive, and Brian I thought showed some poise in the pocket and stepped into some throws. Let’s not forget, that he’s a guy coming off of a knee (surgery) and that was really the first true live work that he had gotten, so I thought that was good work for him as well.”

Browns wide receiver Nate Burleson said the switch at quarterback didn’t change things at practice.

“Maybe it’s because I’ve been around,” he said. “I’ve been on teams where we’ve had three quarterbacks in one season, so for us it’s just show up and catch the ball. There’s a height difference in the two, but as far as fundamentals, they both throw the ball the same. They’re both making plays. We don’t take notice. It’s not, ‘Hold on, wait, Johnny’s in here.’ It’s just listen to the play, go out and be where we’re supposed to be and make the play when the ball is coming to us.”

Burleson said Manziel has improved during eight practice sessions.

“You can tell he’s getting a lot more comfortable in the huddle, kind of spouting out the plays with ease,” he said.

Cornerback Joe Haden has noticed a change in Manziel since camp began.

“He’s becoming more comfortable,” Haden said. “You can see that he’s finally starting to relax.”

For Hoyer, that’s probably not a good thing.

NOTES: Manziel signed a multiyear endorsement deal with MusclePharm, a sports nutrition company. He joins Tiger Woods, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Colin Kaepernick as endorsers of the product. Manziel’s portfolio includes deals with Nike and Snickers. … Browns NT Phil Taylor practiced for the first time in camp. He had been sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained in the conditioning test. … Browns Pro Bowl TE Jordan Cameron was held out with a shoulder injury. Pettine said Cameron has an AC joint issue but doesn’t believe it’s serious. “If this were a game week, more than likely he would’ve gone,” said Pettine, adding the team will be cautious with Cameron heading into the Lions game. … The Browns reached an injury settlement and waived OG Jason Pinkston, whose career may be over because of blood clots in his lungs. Pinkston made 24 starts over the past three years. He was hospitalized with blood clots in 2012 and missed most of last season with an ankle injury. .. The Browns signed DB Royce Adams. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jets in 2012, when Pettine was New York’s defensive coordinator.

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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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