Skip to main content

Jaguars RB Gerhart ‘ready to carry the load’

By WTOP Staff

MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — At the end of practice Saturday, Jacksonville Jaguars coach Gus Bradley screamed running back Toby Gerhart’s name, summoning him to break down the team huddle.

It was recognition for how well Gerhart performed during the first two days of training camp.

Teammates chanted “speech, speech” as Gerhart took center stage. Anyone expecting a grand statement surely walked away disappointed.

“Good work today; keep stacking the days together,” Gerhart told teammates and coaches.

In time, Gerhart might get more comfortable in a lead role. He certainly will get the chance in Jacksonville, which plans to get him 15 to 20 carries a game this season.

It’s a welcome change for a guy who spent the past four seasons as Adrian Peterson’s backup in Minnesota.

“It’s definitely exciting,” Gerhart said. “The more the merrier. I’ll take as many carries as they’ll give me. I’m ready to carry the load. It’s been a few years since I’ve had that amount of carries consistently. I’m excited for the opportunity.”

A second-round pick in 2010, Gerhart played in 61 games with six starts for the Vikings. He had a modest 276 carries for 1,305 yards (4.7 yards a carry) and five touchdowns. He also had 77 receptions for 600 yards and three scores.

Now, though, he will be the unquestioned starter in Jacksonville.

Although the Jaguars want to get second-year player Denard Robinson and journeyman Jordan Todman involved in the ground game, they plan to keep Gerhart as involved as his predecessor, Maurice Jones-Drew.

The Jaguars parted ways with Jones-Drew after eight seasons, opting to move on from a 29-year-old running back who totaled 8,071 yards rushing, 2,873 yards receiving, 2,187 yards in returns and scored 93 touchdowns.

Jones-Drew clearly had lost his breakaway speed after two significant injuries in recent years.

General manager Dave Caldwell believes Gerhart’s best football is in front of him.

“He’s been the workhorse before, just not at this level,” Caldwell said. “He’s built for it. He’s 235-plus (pounds), has a great frame, great muscle, great condition. The best thing about Toby is he’s got excellent hands, too, catching the ball out of the backfield, and his pass protection.

“I don’t think there’s much room for concern with him being the workhorse because he’s got the stature and he’s built for it.”

Gerhart and Jones-Drew are much different, too.

Not only is Gerhart much quieter than the always-outspoken Jones-Drew, he’s bigger, faster and younger — all potential positives for the rebuilding Jaguars.

“That’s just not my personality,” Gerhart said. “I’ve always been shy, low key. I try to do things the right way and lead by example. I’m not a guy that’s going to go out there and pump my chest and scream and jump around. I’m going to go out there and work hard, be productive and act like I’ve been there before.”

Indeed, Gerhart was a low-key star at Stanford. While the NFL is quite different, the Jaguars believe Gerhart might provide some big-play ability for an offense in desperate need of playmakers.

“I think he’s got the ability to hit home runs, yeah,” Caldwell said. “He might not be a 60 home-run hitter, but he might have 20 to 25. He might not be Mark McGwire, but he’ll be OK.”

Jacksonville revamped its offensive line in front of Gerhart, moving 2013 first-round draft pick Luke Joeckel to left tackle and signing veteran guard Zane Beadles to play next to him. The Jags also drafted guard Brandon Linder in the third round.

Gerhart, meanwhile, has been one of the team’s most consistent players during the offseason and through the first two days of camp. And Bradley said he’s just getting started.

“I think when you get the pads on, we’ll see how much of a jump he’s made,” Bradley said.

___

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote