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Stanford star Ty Montgomery rehabbing shoulder

By WTOP Staff

ANTONIO GONZALEZ
AP Sports Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Stanford receiver and All-America kick returner Ty Montgomery said he’s in the final stages of his rehabilitation from right shoulder surgery and hopes to play in the opener against UC Davis on Aug. 30.

Montgomery said Wednesday he played through the shoulder injury part of last season before having surgery in February. He also hurt a knee in the Cardinal’s loss to Michigan State in the Rose Bowl, an injury he said was “minor.”

Montgomery said he’s already lifting weights, running routes and catching passes. He said he’s just waiting for team doctors to clear him for contact drills.

“Whenever they tell me I can play, I’m ready to play,” Montgomery said.

Montgomery’s self-diagnosis at Bay Area College Football Media Day at the 49ers’ new stadium sounded more optimistic than what Cardinal coach David Shaw said last week. Shaw said at Pac-12 media days in Los Angeles that Montgomery would probably sit out the season opener and is questionable for Stanford’s home game against Southern California on Sept. 6.

Shaw stuck by that statement Wednesday, but he also said Montgomery might not miss any games. He said team doctors will make the decision on when Montgomery plays.

“I never follow the direction of the player. I always follow the direction of the doctors,” Shaw said. “We’ll see. Ty’s ahead of schedule. He’s ahead of schedule. He’s a phenomenal athlete. And if he’s ready to go Game 1 and the doctors say, ‘You know what, he’s at limited risk for re-injury, let’s let him go play,’ I’m all for it.

“There’s no babying football players,” Shaw added. “If Ty’s ready to go, he’s returning kickoffs, he’s playing the game. If he’s not, we’ll hold him off. I don’t have an issue with that.”

Montgomery missed spring practices because of his shoulder injury and is expected to be limited at the beginning of training camp, which begins Monday.

Montgomery had a breakout season as a junior, leading Stanford in receptions (61), yards receiving (958) and touchdown catches (10). He also had 1,091 yards and two TDs returning kicks to earn first-team All-America honors.

Shaw compared Montgomery to former wide receivers Tim Brown and Irving Fryar, both of whom he saw as an NFL assistant. But he also admitted those comparisons to Montgomery at this stage of his development are unfair.

Shaw recognizes what Montgomery means to Stanford’s offense. He said Montgomery has been clocked at 4.42 in the 40-yard dash and his physical skills are “off the charts.”

The key is keeping him healthy. Montgomery was sidelined as a sophomore for some of the 2012 season when he partially tore a posterior cruciate ligament in his knee. He finished with just 26 catches for 213 yards and no touchdowns as Stanford was transitioning quarterbacks.

As a freshman, Montgomery caught 24 passes for 350 yards, including a season-high seven catches for 120 yards and a touchdown from Andrew Luck in the Fiesta Bowl loss to Oklahoma State.

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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