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Colts’ Luck looking to make amends after mistake

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Luck is learning to become the fix-it man.

First, he critiqued himself for a botched play call at Denver. Then he accepted the blame for throwing a late interception Monday night against Philadelphia.

Two games, two mistakes, two losses for the Colts. Nobody expects those sorts of results from the budding third-year quarterback, especially Luck.

“That pick I threw at the end of the game last week again, disappointed with myself, frustrated with myself for doing that,” Luck said Wednesday. “Then the two picks in the Denver game. So those jump out, those jump out.”

During his first two pro seasons, Luck won 22 games, an AFC South title, engineered 11 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime and produced the second-greatest comeback in playoff history — all before he turned 25 last week. The emerging star made the made the transition from college football to the NFL look seamless.

Like any young quarterback, of course, there have been bumps along the way.

He threw 18 interceptions as a rookie and seven interceptions in two playoff games last season. He’s been sacked 76 times in 34 career starts and has taken more hits than just about quarterback in the league.

But winning overshadowed most of the budding star’s flaws. This year’s awkward start has put things in a different perspective.

For only the second time since 1999, the Colts are 0-2. For the first time in Luck’s pro career, he has endured back-to-back losses.

And instead of rallying the Colts to late wins, Luck has mostly blamed himself for the struggles that have led to the losses.

At Denver, he called a hurry-up quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal and ran it even though he knew he didn’t have the right guys on the field to make the play work. The result: Luck was stopped for a loss and wound up losing 31-24. Luck called it a “stupid” decision.

Against the Eagles, with the Colts holding a seven-point lead and in field-goal range with about 5 minutes to go, all the Colts needed was to play it safe and set up Adam Vinatieri for what would likely have been a game-sealing field goal. Luck’s third-down pass was picked off, prompting Luck to again use the word stupid in his postgame news conference.

Teammates and coaches insist the losses are more the result of bad luck than a bad Luck.

Backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said Wednesday he doesn’t fault Luck for either play. He noted that at Denver, Luck was initially grabbed by the facemask, a penalty that wasn’t called, and against Philly his intended receiver, T.Y. Hilton, had been knocked off the route.

“I feel like he’s played great the last two weeks,” tight end Dwayne Allen said. “As far as the losses, I wouldn’t put those on him at all. We all can play better. Look, if we were all playing on the same level he’s playing at, we’d be 2-0 instead of 0-2.”

But this is unprecedented territory for Luck.

He never started 0-2 in college, can’t remember starting a season 0-2 in high school and has even told the Colts’ local radio network that he had played terrible Monday night. And though his completion percentage is up this year, to 63.2 percent from 60.2 percent in 2013, his yards per attempt are down from 6.7 to 6.2.

The Colts, who now head to Jacksonville (0-2) for a must-win game Sunday, don’t see any discernible problems on film, even though that’s where Luck has been looking for answers.

Hasselbeck, a former Pro Bowler who led Seattle to its first Super Bowl appearance after the 2005 season, believes poring through tape is the best remedy for a quarterback.

“I think it’s kind of therapeutic,” he said. “When you throw an interception, you feel kind of sick to your stomach till you watch the film. But you don’t really start feeling better until after you watch the film.”

Allen calls Luck meticulous in film study. Hasselbeck insists Luck is “well ahead” of his age in terms of knowledge and points out that quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen will help ensure Luck doesn’t overcorrect, become hesitant or start second-guessing himself.

“You don’t need to freak out and go start wholesale changes just because you’ve made some mistakes,” Luck said. “But you also realize that you can’t repeat those mistakes at the same time.”

Notes: Center Khaled Holmes (ankle) was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice and could reclaim his starting job Sunday. … Cornerback Darius Butler (neck), linebacker Jerrell Freeman (hamstring), defensive tackles Ricky Jean Francois (ankle) and Arthur Jones (ankle) and offensive lineman Joe Reitz (ankle) all missed practice with injuries. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw, linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, safety LaRon Landry and receiver Reggie Wayne all sat out to get extra rest. Receiver T.Y. Hilton (groin) and cornerback Greg Toler (ribs) did limited work in practice.

___

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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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