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Steelers ready to see if the kids can play

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger isn’t quite sure when or how it happened.

All the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback knows is he looked up in a meeting one day recently and realized he was the oldest player in the room.

At age 32 the linchpin of the franchise is firmly in the third quarter of a career that already includes two Super Bowl rings.

For years he was the fresh face in the huddle. He enters his 11th season the wise sage with the occasional fleck of gray in his stubble to prove it.

Not that Roethlisberger is ready to concede anything to the NFL’s version of middle age.

“Some days I feel old, some days I feel young,” Roethlisberger said. “I feel like I’m in great shape. … I can make plays if I need to.”

The Steelers, however, have done their best to make sure Roethlisberger no longer has to make them all by himself.

Wide receiver Antonio Brown is already a two-time Pro Bowler and still in the early stages of his prime. Running back Le’Veon Bell set a rookie franchise record for total yards last fall and remains six months shy of his 23rd birthday, though his preseason arrest on marijuana and DUI charges showed there are still maturity issues to resolve.

Rookie Dri Archer might be the fastest player in the league and a blank slate for offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

Even an offensive line that has been together for nearly two seasons doesn’t have a starter over 28.

When Roethlisberger surveys his surroundings before he takes the first snap against Cleveland in the opener on Sept. 7, he and good friend Heath Miller will be the only offensive players in black and gold over 30.

The team labeled “old, slow and over” by critics during a pair of lackluster 8-8 seasons in 2012 and 2013 has rebuilt itself on the fly. It’s time to find out if the kids can play.

Things to look for as the Steelers try to get back to the postseason for the first time since Tim Tebow — yes, that Tim Tebow — stunned them in the wild-card game in January, 2012 and sent Pittsburgh into a tailspin from which it finally hopes to recover.

MORE NO-HUDDLE PLEASE: The sometimes rocky relationship between Roethlisberger and Haley found a level of detente midway through last season, when Haley gave Roethlisberger more freedom to call his own plays while working out of the no-huddle. The result was a 6-2 second half in which the Steelers averaged a healthy 26 points a game and Roethlisberger’s No. 7 jersey remained clean.

Roethlisberger describes the offense as a “partnership” with Haley, but stressed to his teammates during a meeting in training camp that it will belong to each of them.

“The ownership is equal for everybody,” Roethlisberger said. “I may be doing more because I’m calling the plays … but this is our offense.”

TROY BEING TROY: Troy Polamalu reached out to second-year safety Shamarko Thomas during the offseason and invited Thomas to train with him in Southern California.

Thomas joked the workouts were “ninja” stuff, one the Steelers hope extend the 33-year-old’s Polamalu’s career. While the team drafted linebacker Ryan Shazier in the first round and brought in hard-hitting Mike Mitchell to work alongside Polamalu, Pittsburgh’s defense will still rely heavily on Polamalu’s uncanny instincts to wipe out the big plays that plagued them during a miserable 2-6 start in 2013.

WORKMANLIKE WHEATON: The Steelers lost wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery in free agency over the spring, leaving Brown as the only experienced receiver on the roster.

Enter Markus Wheaton, whose rookie season in 2013 was plagued by injury. He entered training camp in July fully healthy for the first time as a pro and the results have been promising. Pittsburgh needs Wheaton to evolve quickly to take some of the pressure off Brown.

“I think he’s more comfortable and (better) understands some things conceptually-wise,” Brown said of Wheaton. “He’s definitely on the same page with Ben and anytime you get on the same page with Ben it’s a good opportunity.”

BELL AND BLOUNT: While the offense will continue to run through Roethlisberger, the Steelers hope the addition of LeGarrette Blount will bolster a running game that finished 27th in yards per game last year. Blount averaged a healthy 5.0 yards per carry for New England in 2013, but the Patriots didn’t stop him from walking out the door.

Rather than chase a starting spot elsewhere, Blount signed a two-year deal with the Steelers, who view him as the bullish yin to Bell’s patient yang. Blount said the chance to win played a major role in his decision, though any early momentum was stunted after he was cited for marijuana possession during the same traffic stop in which Bell was arrested.

SPEED, SPEED, SPEED: Pittsburgh is joining the expanding number of teams who use analytics to make personnel decisions, though an old favorite seemed to be the deciding factor during the offseason: a stop watch.

The Steelers drafted Shazier, Archer and defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt, who were all rated among the fastest players at their respective positions coming out.

“We have some young people who are capable of infusing some speed, but we’re not going to hang our hats on that, and we’re not going to talk too much about it,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “It seems like too much has been talked about it already. It’s football, not a track meet.”

Either way, after two down years by their typically high standards, the Steelers plan on winning.

___

Online: 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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