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Steelers looking to expand no-huddle at Philly

By WTOP Staff

DALE GRDNIC
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers have done a good job with their no-huddle offense so far this preseason. Thursday night’s game at Philadelphia should provide a new challenge.

“We’ll see if we’ll do no-huddle on the road, which is usually a little different,” Roethlisberger said Monday. “Whether we do that or not, I don’t know, but that’s usually the good part about trying to get at least one series of no-huddle on the road, because the communication is a little tougher.”

Roethlisberger said there was one “very minor” mistake by the starters in a 19-16 win over Buffalo on Saturday night but otherwise he was pleased with the progress. He threw for a pair of touchdowns during his three series of work.

One of the goals against the Eagles will be to refine the hand signals the offense uses when trying to push the pace in hostile territory.

“We did a little test this year, and this week is going to be the last week,” Roethlisberger said. “I bring the running backs, wide receivers and tight ends in, and we give them a five hand-signal pop quiz. They have to write down what play is called and the route that they have.”

When the results are tallied, players with the three lowest scores have to buy pizza and wings for the entire offense. That includes the offensive linemen, who don’t use the hand signals.

That’s fine by left guard Ramon Foster, who figures he’s going to get a free meal either way.

“All we need to know is base, nickel or dime, so we’re good,” Foster said. “That’s 100 (percent) every time for us, so we’re all in.”

Roethlisberger came up with this test, so he’s keeping track of the scores.

“We have a running list that we brought from training camp, and it’s in the quarterback room,” Roethlisberger said. “There aren’t a lot of misses like you think, but it’s pretty close.”

Second-year wideout Derek Moye is in a heated battle for the final roster spots at receiver, but he wouldn’t admit if he’s also atop Roethlisberger’s dubious list.

“It’s been going pretty good, and I think everybody has everything down, for the most part,” Moye said. “But I don’t want to call anybody out and say who’s in the lead, the top three. But it’s been a lot of fun, and we’re learning all the little things we need to know about our offense.”

Roethlisberger also wouldn’t reveal which players had the lowest scores to date, but he said the competition has “about five guys” in the running to foot the bill for the pizza and wing bash.

“We’re starting to work real well with Ben, and we want to do everything we can to improve our offense,” receiver Antonio Brown said. “So, that’s what we’re trying to do.”

NOTES: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said RT Marcus Gilbert only completed some of the drills at practice Monday due to a stiff neck, and TE Eric Waters is being evaluated for a possible concussion. . OL Graham Pocic and CB Dayonne Nunley were signed Monday, while OL Bryant Browning was waived-injured and WR James Shaw was released.

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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
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