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Broncos say Trevathan has another broken leg

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Danny Trevathan is grappling with a setback in his comeback.

The Denver Broncos’ top tackler from last season reinjured his left leg Sunday in his second game back from a broken bone under his kneecap. He learned Monday he’ll miss several more weeks with another crack on the top and side of the same kneecap.

Coach John Fox said this latest injury is “nothing even remotely the same as his last injury.”

However, the timeline for his return might be similar.

Although Fox declined to say how long he expected Trevathan to be out, his teammates mentioned six weeks when talking about the linebacker’s latest injury. Trevathan returned in the sixth week after his first knee injury, which occurred on Aug. 12.

Trevathan was able to put weight on his left leg Monday. He walked haltingly through the locker room while holding — but not using — the same crutches he thought he’d ditched for good last month.

The Broncos’ weakside linebacker was hurt when he was run over by two New York Jets on a screen pass to Eric Decker on the second play from scrimmage in Denver’s 31-17 win at the Meadowlands.

Backup Brandon Marshall switched helmets with Trevathan so he could make the defensive calls, and rookie Corey Nelson slid into Marshall’s role on sub packages and led the Broncos with seven tackles.

“Our defense, we never flinch,” Marshall said. “So I just came in and I’m like, ‘Let’s go, man.’ We live for this.’ And that’s what I was telling the guys, and we got it done.”

Marshall finished with six tackles, same as strongside linebacker Von Miller. Marshall said he leaned on the experience he gained from filling in for Trevathan the last time.

“It was an easier transition this time,” Marshall said. “The Colts game, the first time, I was a little nervous; I’m not going to lie. But when I went back in this game, I think it was a little slower. The game wasn’t fast. It slowed down for me, so that was good.”

It slowed down quickly for Nelson, too.

“It’s kind of like just getting practice or repetition as a youngster. You’ve got to get the game-time experience,” said Nelson, a seventh-round pick from Oklahoma. “And I felt like as the game went on, I was able to settle my feet and get more comfortable to be able to do what I had to do for the defense.”

Nelson, who played just two snaps on defense before Sunday, finished with 36 snaps from scrimmage and 26 on special teams.

“He knew what he was doing. He didn’t blink,” Marshall said. “I guess the moment wasn’t too big for him. I’m happy for Corey. He did well. He’d been working his tail off. He’s going to be a good asset for us.”

Nelson did make one big blunder. He was late getting onto the field after a punt in the second half and the Broncos had to use a timeout.

“I guess he thought it was a different package,” Marshall said. “So, I had to call a timeout, because it was an empty set. They were going to pass the ball, and if he wasn’t in there, it might have been a touchdown.”

Nelson said he went over to talk with special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers “and I just lost track of what personnel was out there. That’s on me. I take responsibility for that.”

It was a small blemish in a breakout performance for Nelson, who didn’t even think he’d get drafted after tearing his left pectoral midway through his senior season with the Sooners.

“Man, Corey was huge this game,” cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. “He stepped up and played a great game. Nobody knew we were going to have to use him this much this year or in that game. But he’s going to have to learn fast with Danny being out six weeks. We’re going to need Corey to step up.

“We’re going to need him to improve because it’s only going to get tougher. We’re going to face better offenses than that.”

NOTES: Coach John Fox disputed several of the Broncos’ 11 flags from Sunday. “We turned in a lot of them” to the league office, he said. “I can’t really talk about the specifics. But that’s not absolving any blame for us, either.”

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

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Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

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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