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Vickerson eager to join comeback express

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Kevin Vickerson thought he’d be back on the football field by now.

Instead, he spends his days rehabbing his right hip, which was dislocated seven months ago in New England, and working on his strength and conditioning so that he hold can up 700 pounds of double teams like he used to when he anchored Denver’s defense.

It’s not the wait or the weights that are the hardest part for Vickerson, but “watching the Super Bowl,” he said, “and not being out there with my guys.”

On occasion he finishes his work with athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos and strength and conditioning coach Luke Richesson early enough to wander onto the fields at the Broncos training facility.

Those days are bittersweet.

There, he sees teammates who watched the Super Bowl with him from the sideline now back in uniform and much farther along in their comebacks. Derek Wolfe (seizures) and Rahim Moore (leg) are back with the starters, Von Miller (knee) is participating in individual drills and Chris Harris Jr. (knee) is doing work on the side and is on schedule to return to the lineup in training camp.

Then, there are players who didn’t even make it out of training camp last summer who are turning heads this offseason like Quanterus Smith (knee), Lerentee McCray (ankle) and Quinton Carter (knee), who add even more depth to Denver’s refurbished defense.

Vickerson was in the middle of a stellar season last year when he got hurt in a game at Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Nov. 24. He went on injured reserve but was confident he’d be back for the start of offseason workouts. But April came and went, and so did May, and still he wasn’t ready. Now the Broncos have just next week’s final few days of organized team activities before they scatter for summer break.

They’ll reconvene for training camp on July 24.

“The timetable now is really trying to push toward training camp, a little bit further than that. But there’s no definite timetable set in stone yet,” said Vickerson, who was cleared medically last week by his doctors in Vail, Colorado, to start running.

His plodding recovery hasn’t hindered the ninth-year pro’s hopes for a big year in 2014.

“I want to go to the Pro Bowl. I want to be one of the best D-tackles in this league,” Vickerson said. “That’s never going to stop my ambition to be the best. Just trying to help these guys, the younger guys I have with me. Just bring them along and try to catch up to where I left off.”

When Vickerson got hurt last year, he didn’t disappear from the team’s headquarters. He was frequently seen hopping around on crutches decked out in gear from his alma mater, Michigan State. He shared tips and traded Big Ten barbs with teammates while continuing to tutor first-round pick Sylvester Williams, who replaced him in the lineup, and Malik Jackson.

Vickerson, who added 40 pounds to his 6-foot-5 frame at the request of defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio in 2012, said he’s maintained his 330-pound weight since getting hurt.

“I’ve been off crutches for about 14 weeks, so in that time, I don’t think I gained too much weight. But I’m right at 330. That’s where I left off when I was playing last year,” he said. “Got a little flabby here and there, but it’s getting back.”

What he wants is to get back on the field, and that’s what tackle Terrance Knighton yearns for, too. He’s tired of seeing Vickerson without a helmet on his head.

“It’s kind of frustrating for me, just because me and him played together early last year and were dominating,” Knighton said. “… He still leads. He’s in there in the meetings and when we’re in the weight room and things like that. I can’t wait to have him back, but I’m definitely happy that he’s moving around.”

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

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Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

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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