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Panthers’ Stewart not worried about latest injury

By WTOP Staff

STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart isn’t concerned about his latest injury limiting his effectiveness this season.

The six-year NFL veteran is expected to miss about two weeks of training camp after pulling his hamstring while running sprints earlier this month.

“It’s definitely frustrating, but it’s nothing that I’m really too concerned about considering my past and my history with my ankles,” Stewart said. “If I can overcome that, then this is an easy one.”

Stewart said he expects to be ready for the regular season.

Still, any talk of injuries with Stewart raises concerns.

A former first-round draft pick, Stewart has missed 17 games the past two seasons with foot and ankle injuries. The 27-year-old has been limited to 516 yards rushing the past two seasons and one touchdown after running for 3,500 yards and 26 TDs during his first four seasons in the NFL.

Stewart said the positive news about his ankles feels great.

That’s something that hasn’t been the case the past three summers at the team’s summer training camp home at Wofford College.

“I love the fact that I can get up in the morning and walk without that much soreness in my ankles,” Stewart said. “It’s the little things in life that you take for granted. You just look at things different a little bit. … The fresher you are the better. Going into this year I’m going to be the freshest that I’ve been in two years.”

Injuries have defined Stewart’s career in Carolina.

Even when Stewart did play — he only missed one game in his first four NFL seasons — he rarely practiced during the week leading up to games due to nagging foot and ankle problems.

But he’s hoping for a bounce-back season after being held to 180 yards rushing on 48 carries in 2013 in just six games.

“I don’t really believe in luck,” Stewart said. “I just believe that you’re given a hand of cards and it’s up to you to make the best next move. With the last couple of years, battling injuries and whatnot, it’s just something I had to go through. It’s made me who I am now.”

The powerful 5-foot-10, 235-pound Stewart runs with a low center of gravity and showed early in his career he has a knack for finding the end zone. He ran for 10 touchdowns in each of his first two seasons. In 2009, his second season in the league, Stewart gained a career-best 1,133 yards rushing while averaging 5.1 yards per carry.

He’s not come close to matching those numbers since.

But coach Ron Rivera is optimistic that could change this season.

“It’s not as bad as people think because he’s been doing a lot of good things,” Rivera said of Stewart’s latest setback.

“He had a good OTA and minicamp. … It doesn’t sound as serious as some hamstrings can be. He will go through walkthroughs and integrating with the team in certain situations.”

Stewart enters this season as Carolina’s No. 2 back behind starter DeAngelo Williams, a place he’s held for most of his career with the Panthers.

He’s also expected to split carries with Pro Bowl fullback Mike Tolbert and quarterback Cam Newton.

“Coach Rivera has us all in the backfield for a reason,” Stewart said. “He believes we have different attributes to carry to the running game. However it plays out that week, that’s how it plays out.”

___

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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