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Bradford has no date set for surgery on torn ACL

By WTOP Staff

WARREN MAYES
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — After suffering a season-ending torn left anterior cruciate ligament for the second time in nine months, St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford said Thursday he will be back.

“I’m just taking it one day at a time and focusing on getting it fixed and starting rehab again,” Bradford said at Rams Park in his first comments since getting hurt. “That’s all I’m going to focus on. Unfortunately, I think I know what it’s going to require and what I’m going to have to do.

“I’m coming back as strong as ever.”

The 2010 No. 1 overall draft pick was injured in the first quarter in the Rams’ third preseason game at Cleveland. Bradford was hit on his left side by Browns defensive end Armonty Bryant as he threw a pass. Bryant ran around left tackle Jake Long on the play.

Bradford hopped briefly on his right leg before dropping to the ground. At first Bradford believed he would be OK. His first thought was maybe just some scar tissue was broken up.

Certainly, the thought of his ACL being torn again didn’t enter his mind.

“It didn’t hurt nearly as bad as the one in Carolina last year,” Bradford said. “By the time I got to the sideline, I felt fine. I walked into the locker room and I felt fine, you know.

“Then the doc did some tests. He said. ‘Unfortunately, I’m concerned about your ACL.’ Then we found out the next day I had torn it.”

No date for surgery has been set, Bradford said. Again, famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews will perform the operation.

There are a few dates being discussed, but nothing is set yet.

Overall, he said he feels good.

“Well, physically actually, I feel great right now,” said Bradford. “My knee feels great. There’s no pain. If you saw me walking around, you’d have no idea that my knee was torn. So that’s a positive. Mentally, obviously it’s tough.

“To put all the work into rehab to get back to full strength and to have it taken away in a preseason game, I’m not really sure how I can describe what it feels like.”

The 6-foot-4, 224-pound Bradford played in two preseason games. He was 4 for 9 for 77 yards against Cleveland before he was hurt.

Journeyman Shaun Hill will start Sunday for the Rams against visiting Minnesota. Austin Davis is the backup. Case Keenum is the third-string quarterback. Rookie Garrett Gilbert is on the practice squad.

Bradford will remain with the team and help the quarterbacks.

“Absolutely, I enjoy being around here,” Bradford said. “I’ll be rehabbing here, sitting in on meetings and going out to practice.

“It’s going to be pretty similar to last year.”

The Rams and Bradford are used to this scenario, unfortunately.

Kellen Clemens stepped in last year and St. Louis shifted to an offense geared around the running game. The Rams were 3-4 under Bradford, who had thrown for 1,687 yards and 14 touchdown passes against four interceptions. St. Louis went 4-5 with Clemens.

Bradford has played just two complete seasons, 2010 and 2012, where he played in all 16 games. He was limited to 10 games in 2011 when a high ankle sprain hobbled him most of the year.

After tearing the ACL and having surgery, the Rams were counting on him to return and have a big year, and possibly make the playoffs for the first time since 2004. It’s been a long dry spell in St. Louis. The Rams have not had a winning season since 2004. The club won just 15 games over a five-year span beginning in 2007.

To get better, the Rams invested the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 draft on offensive tackle Greg Robinson of Auburn. Robinson played guard and tackle throughout the preseason, but he won’t start the opener.

The 6-foot-5, 332-pound Robinson is behind Rodger Saffold at left guard. The 21-year-old Robinson started three of the Rams’ four preseason games.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher said he’s not concerned about Robinson not starting.

“He’s doing a good job. He’s playing guard, he’s playing tackle,” Fisher said. “He’s doing both in practice. He’s doing them all through preseason and he’s gotten better each week.

“We made the decision that in the opener that we’re better off going with experience. Doesn’t mean to say that he won’t play in the game, but we’re going to go with guys that have a lot of snaps under their belt right now.”

Robinson said he understands.

“I’m doing what the coaches ask of me,” Robinson said. “My goal is to get better each day. I’m competing for a spot. I’m not getting down on myself even though I’m not starting.”

___

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
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