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Allen’s return can help Colts stretch field

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) — Colts tight end Dwayne Allen spent the summer of 2013 learning Pep Hamilton’s offensive system.

After one week, the Colts were improvising.

By the end of the season, Allen hardly recognized the offense he was watching.

Now, with Allen back in the lineup and double tight-end formations back in the playbook, the Colts are planning to follow the script and add to it.

“It is getting more exotic,” Allen said. “He started out really basic last year in the things that he installed and the things that we did. This year he’s mixing it up a bunch because he knows we are capable of catching whatever he throws at us.”

The biggest change might be what Hamilton, Indy’s offensive coordinator, can throw at opposing defenses.

At 6-foot-3, 265 pounds, Allen is one of the rarest commodities in football — a solid inline blocker who is an effective receiver, too.

College football’s John Mackey Award winner lived up to the billing in 2012 when he led all rookie tight ends with 52 receptions and 541 yards. He also caught three touchdowns.

Allen seemed primed for an even bigger season in 2013 until he missed part of training camp with a right foot injury and then hurt his hip on an awkward landing as he tried to catch a pass in the season-opening win against Oakland. He was inactive in Week 2 and went on injured reserve Sept. 18.

Without Allen, the Colts had to adjust. Instead of using Allen and Coby Fleener together, Hamilton relied more on fullback Stanley Havili or three and four-receiver formations.

It wasn’t just Allen’s absence that hurt the Colts. Running backs Vick Ballard and Ahmad Bradshaw also sustained season-ending injuries in September. So did left guard Donald Thomas, and in mid-October, Andrew Luck’s No. 1 target, Reggie Wayne, went down with a torn ACL.

The results showed.

Indy’s ground game sputtered, the offensive line gave up far too many hits on quarterback Andrew Luck and the Colts struggled with inconsistency after Wayne’s injury.

Eventually, Luck and his other receivers got in sync long enough to win an AFC South title and a wild-card playoff game.

“At the end of the day, Coby (Fleener), Jack Doyle and Weslye Saunders did a good job of stepping up and making sure they gave us enough to set the edge and to run the ball to the strong side and make plays in the passing game,” Hamilton said.

But with Allen, Bradshaw and Wayne all back, Fleener improving and a revamped offensive line, the Colts could open up the playbook.

The 6-foot-6, 251-pound Fleener, Luck’s teammate at Stanford, made a huge jump last season by catching 52 passes for 608 yards and four TDs after catching 26 passes for 281 yards and two TDs in 2012. This year, he looks and sounds more confident.

Allen has already noticed a difference in how defenses are reacting — and the Colts haven’t even lined up against an opponent yet.

“They started to adjust by bringing out their nickel package, which they usually only bring out for one tight end, three wides,” Allen said. “But because of the mismatch problem, they had to bring in the nickel backer to guard Coby.”

Those sorts of subtle changes could have a major impact for an already high-scoring offense that has upgraded its personnel.

Luck has three veteran receivers — T.Y. Hilton, Hakeem Nicks and Wayne — who have had 1,000-yard seasons; Bradshaw, a two-time Super Bowl winner, and running back Trent Richardson, who has had a full season to study the offense and work on his timing; and possibly the most promising young tight end combination in the NFL.

If the line holds up in the wake of Thomas’ season-ending quad injury, there’s no telling how good the Colts might be.

“We’re able to do a lot of things that we did last year but with bigger personnel, meaning me and Coby are the pair that are on the field and we don’t leave the field no matter the situation,” Allen said.

“(Friday) we worked a two-minute drill with one tight end, three wides, but very often we’ll work the same two-minute drill with two tight ends and two wides just to give the defense a different look and really work on the things that we want to accomplish.”

All while throwing a wrench into defensive game plans.

“His versatility is something that we feel like we’ll be able to employ,” Hamilton said when asked about Allen, “and give us a chance to have good plays, make more big plays on our offense.”

Notes: Linebackers Daniel Adongo (hamstring) and Andrew Jackson (strained hamstring), receiver Josh Lenz (hamstring) and offensive lineman Xavier Nixon (knee) all sat out Saturday’s practice. … The Colts changed their practice schedule to accommodate predicted bad weather in the afternoon, something coach Chuck Pagano said would be beneficial to teaching the team how to adjust on the fly. … An Iraq war veteran gave punter Pat McAfee his dog tag after practice.

___

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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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