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Rams plan to rely on running game in 2014

By WTOP Staff

JASON L. YOUNG
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Regardless of how quarterback Sam Bradford’s knee responds following an ACL tear and subsequent surgery during last season, the St. Louis Rams planned to lean heavily on their running game in 2014.

They still have to determine who gets the largest workload.

Second-year player Zac Stacy appears set for the top spot after leading the team in carries and yards as a rookie. The competition for his backup remains unsettled as the team closes in on the end of its second week of preseason training with an intrasquad scrimmage Saturday at the Edward Jones Dome.

“I feel with Sam, back healthy, looking good right now, there’s going to be a little more balance,” Stacy said after Friday’s practice. “It just goes back to the whole personnel we have in this offense.”

Stacy rushed 250 times for 937 yards in 2013, but the Rams struggled to find consistent balance between the running and passing games. About a month into the season, St. Louis began to run the ball more and, after Bradford tore his left anterior cruciate ligament Oct. 20 at Carolina, the running backs became the clear focus.

The Rams finished 19th in the league with 1,752 yards on 426 carries. Coach Jeff Fisher said he anticipates those numbers going up this year.

“We’re going to be a run-oriented football team,” he said. “It’s hard to gauge where it is right now. I’ll have a better idea once we get into the preseason.”

The Rams used four running backs in 2013, the first without veteran Steven Jackson, who signed as a free agent with Atlanta following a nine-year stint in St. Louis. Fisher tends to carry four backs on his roster.

Benny Cunningham, in his second year, and Isaiah Pead, in his third, return and are likely backups for Stacy. Tre Mason, taken in the third round of this year’s draft, is also in the mix for playing time. Daryl Richardson was waived in May despite being the third-leading rusher on the squad and has since signed with the New York Jets.

Cunningham finished with 261 yards on 47 carries, and Pead got seven attempts for 21 yards. Mason is coming off a junior year at Auburn in which he totaled 1,816 yards on 317 carries.

“There’s a lot of competition here,” Mason said. “That’s a good thing. It pushes other people to get better, but I feel like there’s always a room to get better for everyone.”

After falling to 1-3 to start the 2013 season, St. Louis moved to a more run-heavy approach and it paid off quickly. The Rams dominated their next two games — albeit against Jacksonville and Houston, who finished with a combined six victories — before Bradford was lost for the season.

Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said the Rams should resemble more of what they showed after Bradford’s injury.

“That’s the way we’re built,” he said. “We’ve always been built that way. Last year, early in the year, some things got away from us, but the shift to the running game is nothing new.

“That’s what we’re going to be based on: play great defense, run the football. Our play-action game comes off of that. The running game looks good. We’ve got a good, young stable of backs. I don’t think I’ve ever been around a group of three, four, five guys with this much ability.”

Stacy had just one attempt in his first two games of his rookie season. He had no fewer than 12 the rest of the way, including a season high of 33 in a victory over Tampa Bay.

He said any surprise element he and the other young Rams had last year against teams is likely gone. Though, given the other options Bradford has at his disposal, Stacy said that might work to the running game’s advantage.

“Teams may load the box a little more this year,” he said. “But with the playmakers we have on the outside, it should open it up.”

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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