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Injured wrist keeps Tennessee QB out of practice

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Pro Football Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Titans quarterback Jake Locker did not practice Wednesday because of an injured right wrist, and whether he plays against the Indianapolis Colts will depend on how much he heals up by Sunday.

The wrist on Locker’s throwing arm was bent during the Titans’ 33-7 loss at Cincinnati last week, and the quarterback said he felt something during the game.

“When the adrenaline stopped, it started hurting a little more …,” Locker said. “I’m just working as hard as I can to get back as soon as possible.”

The timing couldn’t be much worse for the Titans (1-2). They have lost two straight, and Locker has been intercepted twice in each loss. The quarterback is in the final year of his contract and already has missed 14 of a potential 32 starts the past two seasons. It’s why the Titans didn’t pick up his 2015 option back in May.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt said Locker didn’t do much at all, which was why the quarterback was listed as not practicing. Whisenhunt said Locker followed practice closely mentally preparing. The coach said they knew the Titans face a “process” with Locker’s wrist healing up.

“Nothing’s changed about that,” Whisenhunt said. “He’s getting better. It’s just a question of how quickly that progresses.”

If Locker can’t play Sunday in Indianapolis (1-2), then Charlie Whitehurst would make his first start since 2011 when he started two games and played in three for Seattle. Now in his ninth season, Whitehurst is 1-3 as a starter and has more interceptions (four) than touchdowns (three).

The Titans cut Ryan Fitzpatrick in March and signed Whitehurst because he spent last season with Whisenhunt in San Diego.

Whisenhunt said they have to see how Locker progresses the next couple days before knowing if they face a game-time decision on who starts at quarterback. This being his first season with Locker, the coach still is learning about his quarterback.

“All I can do is go off of talking with him and seeing how he prepares,” Whisenhunt said. “He works hard. He’s into it today. I respect that. We haven’t gone through this process with a lot of our players, so I can’t honestly answer that yet.”

Whitehurst was limited himself this preseason by an injured right pinkie, and he still had the finger wrapped after practice Wednesday. If Locker can’t play, then Whitehurst’s backup would be rookie Zach Mettenberger who has been inactive the first three games.

The last time Whitehurst appeared in a game was twice last season in San Diego, the last on Dec. 8 against the Giants. The last game he threw a pass in was Oct. 30, 2011, when he was 4 of 7 for 52 yards against Cincinnati while with Seattle. Whitehurst was sacked eight times in three appearances that season.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in a meaningful game for sure,” Whitehurst said. “You just want to prepare. I’ll be ready for it.”

Veteran Colts backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who played with the Titans during Locker’s first two seasons, said it’s extremely difficult to play with any injury to the right arm.

“Now Jake is a really, really tough kid, so nothing would surprise me if he’s able to go,” Hasselbeck said. “But they’d still be in good hands with Whitehurst, who I played with in Seattle. I just think Jake is a really tough kid.”

Notes: TE Delanie Walker (shoulder) and TE Taylor Thompson (knee) also did not practice. DE Ropati Pitoitua (knee) and LB James Anderson (thigh) were limited.

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AP Sports Writer Michael Marot in Indianapolis contributed to this report.

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Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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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