Skip to main content

Hill confident he can run Rams offense

By WTOP Staff

STEVE OVERBEY
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Shaun Hill has been here before.

A career backup quarterback, Hill is certain he will be able to successfully run the St. Louis Rams’ offense after Sam Bradford suffered a season-ending knee injury during the weekend.

“This is not anything new, it’s not anything different,” Hill said. “I keep the same mindset I’ve always had.”

Hill has been forced into an extended relief role for the second time in his 13-year career. He replaced Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford for 10 games in 2010 when Stafford went down with a shoulder injury.

“I’ve always gone into every week as a backup as if I was going to play,” Hill said. “That’s the only way I know how to do it.”

Hill is 13-13 as a starter including a 3-7 mark in relief of Stafford.

St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher has the utmost confidence in Hill, who Fisher said looked good handling the offense in practice on Monday.

“He’s ready to go, he’s excited about this opportunity,” Fisher said. “He’s a competitor and he knows what he’s doing. He will make every opportunity count.”

Hill’s teammates also feel confident in their new field boss.

“He’s a smart quarterback, he knows the system,” wide receiver Tavon Austin said. “He’s been in the league a while. There’s nothing he can’t handle.”

The 34-year-old Hill has hit on 591 passes in 954 attempts for 6,381 yards with 41 touchdowns and 23 interceptions during stops in Minnesota, San Francisco, Detroit and St. Louis.

Hill admits he is a little rusty. He attempted just 36 passes as a backup in Detroit the last three seasons, including just two snaps last year — taking a knee twice in a season-ending 40-10 win over Green Bay.

But Hill is ready to embrace his new role. He was signed to a one-year deal by the Rams in March with this scenario in mind.

“I’m cranked up and ready to go,” he said.

When the Pittsburgh, Kansas, native takes the field for the season opener Sept. 7 against Minnesota, it will be his first start in 1,342 days. His last start came in the final week of the 2010 season.

Bradford tore a ligament in his left knee in the first quarter Saturday and will be out the entire campaign. It was the same injury that sidelined him the last nine games of the 2013 campaign.

The first overall pick in the 2010 draft, Bradford has been plagued by injuries throughout much of his career. Over his five years, he has missed 31 of 80 starts.

“I feel terrible for Sam,” Hill said. “I was really looking forward to seeing him play this year. He was going to light it up. But the nature of the business is ‘next guy up’ — and that’s me.”

The Rams have a history of overcoming quarterback injuries. In 1999, Trent Green was lost for the season during the third exhibition game. Kurt Warner stepped in and guided the team to a Super Bowl title.

The Rams released 10 players on Monday and are down to 79 with four more cuts needed by the Tuesday 3 p.m. deadline.

Among those released was wide receiver T.J. Moe, a standout at the University of Missouri.

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 Stories

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