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Locker driven to win in final year of Titans’ deal

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Pro Football Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Winning, not money, is driving Tennessee quarterback Jake Locker as he heads into his make-or-break season in the NFL.

The Titans decided against picking up Locker’s option for 2015, choosing to let the eighth overall pick in 2011 prove he can stay on the field and win games in the final year of his rookie contract.

Locker has missed 14 of a potential 32 games since being selected as Tennessee’s starter, including the final seven of last season.

That’s just fine with Locker.

“I’ve been fortunate,” Locker said. “My wife and I have been smart with our money, and we have. We’re fine. We don’t have to worry about it. So I get the freedom and the ability to go out and play for this football team and have fun.”

A strong season would put Locker in position for an even bigger contract, yet the quarterback who stayed in college at Washington for his senior season rather than leave early for the NFL draft says he still isn’t in the game for the money.

“I care about winning football games and doing it with a good group of guys that I’ve gotten to know really well,” Locker said.

Locker already has shown he’s fully recovered from the Lisfranc injury to his right foot that ended last season and helped lead to the firing of coach Mike Munchak after three seasons. But he has been learning a new offense from his third offensive coordinator in his career.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt is known for his work with Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh, Kurt Warner in Arizona and Philip Rivers in San Diego last year. Whisenhunt and his assistants have been working to improve Locker’s throwing motion, even using a small video camera on top of an extendable pole in certain quarterback drills to hone in on his footwork and technique.

Locker being able to take part in all of the Titans’ on-field work in the offseason helped the transition. The quarterback has looked smoother and more accurate during the first week of training camp, even with Whisenhunt asking Locker to do more at the line of scrimmage in his offense.

“I’m happy with the way Jake’s working,” Whisenhunt said. “I’m happy with a lot of little things that we’re seeing him doing here, but there’s no substitute for seeing what happens in a game. When we get to some of these controlled, for a lack of a better word, scrimmages, then you get a better sense.”

Locker finished his injury-shortened season with the best completion rate of his first three years last season at 60.7.

When he was put on injured reserve in November, he ranked sixth in the AFC with an 86.7 passer rating and eighth in the NFL with a 105.9 passer rating in the fourth quarter.

He was at his best in the first four games last season while completely healthy as the Titans did not turn the ball over even once in a 3-1 start.

For his career, he has more touchdowns (22) than interceptions (15), has thrown for 3,974 yards and has an 81.1 passer rating. He’s also averaging 6.9 yards a carry when he runs.

All of that has been overshadowed by injury after injury. Locker missed five games in 2012 after being picked as the starter in training camp over veteran Matt Hasselbeck. He missed two games with an injured hip before returning last October. His season ended Nov. 10 when he hurt his foot against Jacksonville.

Receiver Nate Washington was impressed at how quickly Locker returned from the Lisfranc injury, something he has seen other players struggle to recover from.

“Once you see your quarterback put in the work he’s put in both mentally and physically, it’s nothing but respect when it comes to that,” Washington said.

Locker is just 8-10 as a starter, and only staying on the field will give him a chance to improve in the only statistic that truly matters in the NFL.

Locker knows that only too well, so he’s not focused on throwing for a certain number of yards, improving his completion percentage or having a specific touchdown-to-interception ratio.

“If we can find ways to win football games, those numbers work themselves out,” Locker said. “Focusing on how to be a successful, winning football team is where my goal is at.”

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Online:

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

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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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