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Turbin finds success, peace with role for Seahawks

By WTOP Staff

CURTIS CRABTREE
Associated Press

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Even on the way to winning a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, running back Robert Turbin was never particularly satisfied with his role or production last season.

Turbin longed to be more than just a backup to Marshawn Lynch. He wanted to show what he could do if he was given a bigger opportunity to show his ability. A knee injury suffered during the year also limited his effectiveness and added to his frustration.

Now in his third season, Turbin has made peace with his role and has become a trusted option in Seattle’s dynamic offense.

“I feel like I can be a starter and carry the ball 20 times, sure, but that’s not my role,” Turbin said. “Is it difficult to handle sometimes? Maybe. But at the end of the day, at least I have a role, and not everybody can say that. I think I was missing a little bit of that last year.”

With just about everything going wrong for the Seahawks in a 30-21 loss to San Diego last week, Turbin helped keep Seattle in the game.

Trailing 20-7 late in the first half, Turbin was put in the game as a part of Seattle’s two-minute offense. Turbin caught a pass from Russell Wilson for 32 yards, gained 10 more on a handoff and then scored his first career touchdown on a 3-yard pass from Wilson to close the gap to 20-14 before halftime.

“He’s the best he’s been for all the right reasons,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “He’s worked really hard. He’s so dedicated to playing ball and being at his best.”

Turbin has carved out a role as Seattle’s two-minute back at the end of the first half. It allows the Seahawks to give Lynch an additional breather before halftime and still have confidence in their offense to move the football in his absence.

“What I like about him specifically is how much we can rely on him and how much we can count on him,” offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. “In any situation we put him in we’re totally comfortable with him to go in there, whether it’s running the ball, whether it’s protections, catching the ball on the back field, we’re totally comfortable with him. He’s earned it.”

That role didn’t feel like enough for Turbin last season.

“Guys become frustrated because they want to be out there and they want to play all the time. That’s not his role for us right now,” running back Sherman Smith said. “Understanding his role is very important. The few plays that he gives us are always big plays.”

Turbin had a strong rookie season with 80 carries for 354 yards and 19 catches for 181 yards in reserve duty. The knee injury that required surgery this offseason set him back a year ago. His effectiveness dipped and the frustration grew. In addition, he had three runs of at least 24 yards called back due to penalties last season.

“It wasn’t funny last year but we laugh about it,” Smith said. “This year his big plays are sticking.”

After two seasons without finding the end zone, Turbin said it was a “special moment” to finally get his first score. Turbin kept the football and plans to give it to his father. With Lynch’s contract becoming potentially unfeasible after this season, Turbin could be auditioning for a starting job for the Seahawks in 2015. But for now, Turbin has found a better mind-set and believes the production will continue to come.

“Appreciating what I have instead of selfishly thinking about what I want, I think that’s played a huge role in my difference this year,” Turbin said.

Notes: LB Bruce Irvin is questionable to play Sunday after suffering a rib injury in practice Wednesday. Irvin did not practice the last two days and will be a game-time decision. … CB Tharold Simon is out with a knee injury.

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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