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Rams rebuilding job leans heavily on kids

By WTOP Staff

R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Rams players are assigned parking spots outside the training facility based on seniority, and the roster is so heavy on youth, quarterback Sam Bradford is close to the front of the line.

At age 26, the first overall pick in 2010 is a grizzled veteran on this team.

“Yeah, it’s interesting,” Bradford said. “Feeling a little older every year.”

Training camp opened with 62 players age 24 or younger, many of them front-liners. The Rams are counting on the kids to grow up fast and lead the way for a franchise seeking its first winning season since 2003.

“Despite the age on paper, the team doesn’t act that way,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “The team acts much more mature, and will be much more prepared.”

Last season the Rams had the NFL’s youngest team and reached seven wins for the second straight season while accepting mistakes general manager Les Snead calls “spilled milk.” They might be the youngest team again, but with enough experience to withstand the growing pains.

There’s already been plenty of learning on the job, and not just for rookies who arrived last Monday. Snead refers to front-liners who left college early, some of them in their second or third year in the lineup, as “redshirt sophomores and juniors.”

Middle linebacker James Laurinaitis emphasizes to younger teammates that every snap counts, even in practice.

“When it comes down to it, you can’t have repeat mistakes,” Laurinaitis said. “Darren Bates shouldn’t be making the same mistake I made because he should be paying attention and getting those mental reps.”

Outside linebacker Alec Ogletree unseated Laurinaitis as the team’s leading tackler as a 21-year-old rookie last year. Defensive tackle Michael Brockers, 23, is entering his third season.

Guard Greg Robinson, 21, was the second pick of the draft after two seasons at Auburn. Fellow Tigers alum Tre Mason, the youngest player on the roster at 20, figures to be in a job share at running back with grizzled vet Zac Stacy, 22.

The gold standard for players they’ve plugged in early is defensive end Robert Quinn, who set a franchise record and led the NFC with 19 sacks. He’ll be entering his fourth season at age 24.

“You saw what Robert did,” Snead said. “What happens is those guys are maturing, too, and not only physically but also mentally.

“You have got to just let them evolve.”

Wide receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, both 23, are looking to build on promising rookie years.

Fisher and Snead presided over a roster teardown in 2012 with the Rams coming off a rock-bottom five-year stretch in which they totaled 15 wins. They didn’t necessarily come in with a three-year turnaround plan.

“This isn’t a cookie-cutter league,” Snead said. “If you really feel like you’re progressing, then ‘Let’s stay the course.’ So that’s kind of where we’re at right now.”

The Rams have only three players age 30 or older — center Scott Wells, backup quarterback Shaun Hill and guard Davis Joseph. They’ll lean on a solid core to help lead the way.

End Chris Long is entering his seventh season, Laurinaitis his sixth and Bradford his fifth. All three have endured extreme lows and are cautiously optimistic this team has the goods to climb the rugged NFC West, which has produced the last two Super Bowl champions.

Expectations were high in 2011 coming off a seven-win season under coach Steve Spagnuolo, followed by a nosedive back to the bottom of the NFL.

“We have a lot of potential, but that stuff has to play itself out on the field,” Long said. “We’ve been here before where we’ve said, ‘This has got to be the year.’

“Well, it’s got to be the year if we make it the year.”

___

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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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