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Colts’ Ballard out for season due to torn Achilles

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) — Colts running back Vick Ballard spent 10 months working his way back from a serious injury.

Now he has to do it again.

On Saturday, coach Chuck Pagano confirmed Indianapolis’ worst fear — that Ballard tore his left Achilles’ tendon and will need season-ending surgery.

“It’s heartbreaking for me, man. Vick’s a brother to me,” running back Ahmad Bradshaw said. “I was taking pride in helping him out a whole lot and trying to improve both our games and helping each other, him and Trent (Richardson) also. It’s just heartbreaking for me to see that happen and all I can do is just help him fight through this.”

It’s the second straight year Ballard sustained a freak injury in practice without being touched.

Last September, he tore the ACL in his right knee while making a cut in practice and missed the final 15 games. After undergoing surgery and spending all those countless hours strengthening his right leg, Ballard was finally cleared to practice at the start of training camp.

He made it through morning walkthroughs Thursday and Friday and a light workout in helmets and shorts Thursday afternoon before he was injured on another innocuous-looking play — falling down as he tried to catch a pass without a defender in the vicinity.

When Ballard got up, he struggled to put weight on his leg, was eventually helped to a golf cart and driven into the locker room.

Friday night’s MRI confirmed the initial diagnosis and the Colts’ worst fears.

“We feel awful for Vick. He’s been a warrior for us, going down with the knee a year ago, non-contact injury,” Pagano said. “Same thing this year, the way he fought, battled, rehabbed, and trained to get back, it’s very, very unfortunate. Injuries do occur. It’s a part of the game, it’s an ugly part of the game.”

Team owner Jim Irsay attended Friday’s practice and provided the first indication the injury was serious when he called Ballard a young player who could come back and still have a solid NFL career.

A few hours later, Ballard used his Twitter account to inform fans that he was going “back in the shop” and that one day he would have a great story to tell.

Ballard was one of five key offensive players the Colts were hoping would return to form after missing more than half of last season. The list also included tight end Dwayne Allen, Bradshaw, starting guard Donald Thomas and perennial Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne. All five had been practicing this week.

The Colts thought Ballard and Bradshaw, who had neck surgery last October, and Richardson’s expected improvement in his second season may finally give Indy the powerful ground game they want. Ballard rushed for a team-high 814 yards as a rookie in 2012 and 63 yards in last season’s opener before the knee injury.

But his absence creates a big hole in those plans, just as the Colts started practicing in pads.

Bradshaw took his first hits Saturday afternoon and survived unscathed. Richardson missed Friday’s afternoon practice and sat out again Saturday for “precautionary” reasons with what Pagano described as a soft tissue injury. Fullback Stanley Havili is on the physically unable to perform list as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery.

That leaves only five other running backs on Indy’s roster — Chris Rainey and Daniel “Boom” Herron, who were signed during last year’s injury-filled season, undrafted rookies Zurlon Tipton and Cameron White and Mario Harvey, who has been moved from linebacker to fullback.

Pagano said he and general manager Ryan Grigson are still deciding whether to sign another running back, but acknowledged that Ballard’s absence gives a chance to someone else.

“We’re not just going to hand it to Ahmad 50 times today and let him get blown up, too,” Pagano said. “So it’s a great opportunity for those (other five) guys.”

For Ballard, it’s another year of grueling rehab.

“I talked to him yesterday after practice and he’s in good spirits,” Bradshaw said “I think he just feels bad that it’s two years in a row. He loves football, his passion for football is there. Like I said, he’s just heartbroken right now.”

___

Online: 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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