Skip to main content

Colts take chance on WR Nu’Keese Richardson

By WTOP Staff

COREY ELLIOT
Associated Press

ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) — The Colts are giving receiver Nu’Keese Richardson a chance for a pro career.

The 23-year-old Richardson is a 2009 University of Tennessee recruit who was kicked off the team late in his freshman season after pleading guilty to one count of attempted robbery outside a Pilot gas station in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Richardson, who signed with Indianapolis on Sunday night, agreed to probation and avoided jail time as part of a plea deal. After leaving Tennessee, Richardson played at Hampton University, an FCS school, before finishing his career in 2013 at the University of Pikeville, an NAIA school in Kentucky.

Coach Chuck Pagano said Monday the Colts understood the risk of signing a player like Richardson.

“We all know Nu’Keese’s background, we know his history,” he said. “We know that he made a bad choice and made a mistake as an 18-year-old. We brought Nu’Keese in here and worked him out, sat him down, talked to him at length about what he’s been doing with himself and his life. We just felt like we wanted to give Nu’Keese a second chance. We all understand there’s no do-overs. We can’t take back the things and mistakes that we’ve made so we feel really good.”

Richardson faces an uphill battle to make a team with a strong group of receivers. Reggie Wayne, Hakeem Nicks and T.Y. Hilton all have had 1,000-yard seasons in the NFL. Indy also drafted Donte Moncrief in the third round. Veterans Griff Whalen and Da’Rick Rogers, who also was booted off Tennessee’s team before the 2012 season, also are in the mix.

So Richardson’s best chance may be making the team as a return specialist. At Pikeville, Richardson had 39 receptions for 588 yards and three touchdowns. He also returned eight kickoffs for 121 yards and 15 punts for 193 yards and one TD.

But he will be battling Moncrief for playing time there, too.

“We want to win and we’re trying to win every football game we line up whether it’s a preseason, regular season, it doesn’t matter,” Pagano said. “If (Moncrief) gives us the best opportunity to win as a kick returner as well as the receiver, then we are going to put him out there.”

The Colts have a history of success with undrafted rookies, though Richardson will have to overcome a late arrival at training camp and the challenge of learning a new playbook in about a month to get up to speed.

Pagano also said Wayne, who is recovering a torn ACL in his right knee, will not play in the preseason opener against the New York Jets on Thursday. He is still expected to be ready for the Sept. 7 season opener at Denver.

Richardson played in nine games at Tennessee, catching eight passes for 102 yards and a TD. He returned 13 kickoffs for 292 yards and six punt returns for 66 yards.

NOTES: Nicks was given an extra day of rest Monday. Rogers also missed practice Monday because of an eye injury that forced him to wear a patch. … Indy also re-signed Shawn Loiseau on Monday. The 6-foot, 239-pound linebacker had 23 tackles with the LA Kiss of the Arena Football League. He was with the Colts in training camp last year but was released before the season opener.

___

Online:

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

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote