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Lions lose LB Tulloch for season to ACL injury

By WTOP Staff

KEVIN RAFTERY
Associated Press

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions, riding high after stuffing Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay in a 19-7 win, got a dose of bad news Monday.

Middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL he suffered while celebrating a sack of the Packers’ star quarterback.

“Tully did indeed injure his knee and is going to need surgery,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “I haven’t had a chance to discuss it with him in detail, but obviously he’s been disappointed. He’s a fighter, so expect him to rehab like he always does everything else — full go and he’ll get back soon.”

The Lions held the Packers to 223 total yards on Sunday. Tulloch suffered the injury in the first quarter, looking as though he was trying to mimic Rodgers’ famous “title belt” celebration and then falling awkwardly to the ground. He returned soon after but was unable to continue playing, spending the remainder of the game on the sidelines.

Caldwell would not speculate on exactly how the injury occurred, instead pointing to the fickle nature of the game.

“The obvious was everybody saw him go up and come down and get up limping afterward,” Caldwell said. “But often times, some of these injuries, things happen a couple plays before but maybe at a certain point in time it may be affected a little bit more than others and come to the forefront. So I’m not absolutely sure.”

Caldwell said he won’t ask his players – or coaches – to relax on the celebrations.

“Often times you’re trying to defeat 2-3 people to get something, and when it does indeed happen, a guy lays it on the line, gives everything he has, it’s kind of an emotional reaction, ” he said. “We want enthusiasm, we want our coaches to be excited about it, we want our players to be excited about it.”

Caldwell would not speculate on who will replace Tulloch, though on Sunday linebacker DeAndre Levy finished the game in Tulloch’s absence, and Tahir Whitehead was slotted into Levy’s spot.

“To the team in general it’s a great loss because (Tulloch) is the leader of the defense,” Whitehead said. “Personally I consider Tully a brother to me, and when I heard the news I was really hurt because I was praying that it wasn’t as serious as they were saying initially. And then I came in today and it was just heartbreaking.”

Veteran center Dominic Raiola said he believes Whitehead – who had never played middle linebacker until this past offseason – will be fine.

“(Whitehead) has prepared himself to play,” Raiola said. “He made a lot of plays in the preseason – he stepped in (Sunday) and made plays. Obviously losing Tully, that hurts. But like Coach Caldwell preaches – and this is not just lip sync, we’re seeing it now in action – it’s next man up. That’s not taking anything away from Tully, but it’s a matter-of-fact that he’s hurt. We mourn for him, but at the same time nobody’s going to wait for us.”

Detroit will use the remainder of this week to evaluate its options and make a decision from there. The Lions (2-1) visit the Jets (1-1) this Sunday.

“I think you saw from the number of guys that were playing in roles that they had not been playing previously due to injury, guys step up and do the job that they’re expected to do. Whomever we put into that spot, the same thing will be expected from them as well. And I think you’ll see them step forward and play well.”

The Lions also said they had released rookie kicker Nate Freese and will sign former Eagles kicker Alex Henery to replace him. Freese missed a 41-yard field goal Sunday and was just 3 for 7 on the year.

“Obviously performance counts in this league, and that’s no matter who you are, no matter what position you play, no matter what you do,” Caldwell said. “Everybody is evaluated and we’re expected to perform accordingly.”

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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