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Colts finish camp still looking for answers

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) — The Colts went to training camp searching for answers.

They went home with even more questions.

On Wednesday, Indianapolis celebrated the end of workouts at Anderson University with players hooting, hollering and even jumping after an assistant coach fielded a punt from a JUGS machine to stop practice 40 minutes early.

It was a stark contrast to the hard knocks the Colts endured over the previous three weeks.

“I think as long as we stay on track and, knock on wood, we can avoid the injury bug I know we’ve had some to this point,” coach Chuck Pagano said. “If we stay healthy, I think this team has the potential to do some great things this year.”

That’s a big if, given the Colts recent history.

A year ago, five offensive starters sustained season-ending injuries before the end of October. Indy also finished the regular season with six different offensive line combinations in the last six games.

It didn’t take long for the injuries to start piling up this year, either.

Two days into practice, they lost running back Vick Ballard for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.

Four days after that, they lost starting left guard Donald Thomas for the second straight year with a season-ending torn right quad.

Last week, in their preseason opener, linebacker Daniel Adongo (ruptured biceps) and defensive lineman Jeris Pendleton (torn ACL), both backups, were lost for the season and two young offensive linemen also were injured.

Starting center Khaled Holmes is expected to miss at least one or two more weeks with a sprained right ankle and rookie offensive lineman Ulrick John could miss the rest of the season with a lower right leg injury.

Pagano’s adjustment with only two undrafted rookies on the roster was to re-sign Thomas Austin, who played in one game last year with Indy, and having second-round draft pick Jack Mewhort to take some snaps at center Saturday in addition to his duties at left guard. Mewhort’s sore right knee then flared up and he hasn’t practiced since then.

While some are concerned about how this young group will hold up in game conditions, Andrew Luck isn’t one of them.

“I’m very comfortable with all the changes and what’s going on,” he said. “I think we’ve seen a bunch of guys, not just five guys, who can really play football. They’re a pleasure to play behind, they’re good dudes so no qualms at all about what’s going on there.”

It’s not just the new injuries.

Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne is returning from a torn ACL and at age 35 and has repeatedly said he’s eager to play. Pagano has been cautious with Wayne in camp and held him out of last week’s loss to the Jets and he may not play Saturday against the Giants, either.

Running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who had neck surgery last October, has been wearing a red jersey since Saturday as Indy protects him from taking hits.

Half of the Colts’ projected starting secondary, cornerback Vontae Davis and safety LaRon Landry, missed significant time in camp because of what Pagano called “soft tissue” injuries, and position battles at left guard or the second safety spot have not yet produced winners.

Indy needs a big season out of Trent Richardson and he has looked better in practice, but saw limited action against the Jets.

Pagano will get a longer look at many of those players Saturday as he plans to use the starters for about one quarter.

“That’s the plan right now, and then we’ll see how that goes,” he said. “If we have two drives like we had in the first ballgame, you’ve got a 10, 12-play drive and you’ve got a couple scores, then it might be time to pull him (Luck) before the first quarter (ends).”

As for the questions, Luck doesn’t believe it’s a major concern. After all, the Colts have about 3½ weeks to find some key answers — and open a whole new round of debate.

“You know, how good the new guys on the team are. I think you can tell that the first days, OTAs when they go out and work,” Luck said. “But I wouldn’t say the process is over by any means. There are still three preseason games left and again, we’re still in training camp mode and trying to find new questions to answer.”

___

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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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