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With big raise, Rudolph ready for bigger year

By WTOP Staff

DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Pro Football Writer

MANKATO, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have pledged to make Kyle Rudolph a larger part of their offense for, well, his whole career.

Now this enhanced role is almost inevitable: He’s carrying 15 fewer pounds this season and playing for a lot more money.

“It’s an honor to know that they have the faith in me and the trust in me to instill that value in me, and I’m going to do everything I can to go out on the field and perform at that level,” Rudolph said between practices on Monday, after signing a five-year contract extension the night before.

He added: “I want to be the best tight end in the NFL, and that’s why I go out every day to work the way that I do.”

The Vikings were enamored enough with the soft-handed, slender Rudolph that they drafted him out of Notre Dame in the second round in 2011 despite a nasty injury, a torn right hamstring, that he was still recovering from at the time.

Rudolph won the Most Valuable Player award at the Pro Bowl after the 2012 season, but he has accumulated a modest 1,055 yards and 15 touchdowns over three years in the NFL. Jimmy Graham exceeded both of those totals last season for New Orleans. Rob Gronkowski did the same three years ago for New England.

The Vikings have long believed the 6-foot-6 Rudolph, who used a better offseason diet to start training camp at a lean weight of 258, can become that featured receiver who can catch passes all over the field, in addition to being a go-to target in the end zone.

“I think he’s trying to work the Jimmy Graham deal,” close friend and quarterback Christian Ponder said, joking about Rudolph’s sleeker look. “He looks good out here, and you can tell he’s very polished in what he’s doing.”

Rudolph’s new deal has a maximum worth of $40 million. About half of that is practically guaranteed, and his annual average salary will be in the top five of all NFL tight ends. Graham makes the most.

“He’s worked as hard as anyone in this organization, and he is getting himself ready to have a great year,” offensive coordinator Norv Turner said.

Rudolph, who missed the last half of last season because of a broken left foot, will be asked to run more routes up the seam between the 20-yard lines this year. He’ll likely find himself standing up and split out a lot, rather than the traditional three-point stance for tight ends of the previous generation.

With more rules discouraging defensive backs from levying big hits, larger, and faster and stronger athletes continuing to enter the league, and passing attacks become more and more potent, the tight end has flourished into a true skill position. Turner has a history of significant production by tight ends in his scheme, from Antonio Gates in San Diego to Jordan Cameron last year in Turner’s lone season with Cleveland.

From Rudolph to running back Adrian Peterson, the early reviews of Turner’s system have been raving.

“I’m sure you guys wrote stories about us being predictable the past seven years. You won’t be able to write that story this year,” Peterson said. “That’s pretty much all I’m saying: You won’t be able to do that, because this offense is so versatile.”

The Vikings invested in Rudolph for reasons beyond the physical attributes, too.

Head coach Mike Zimmer called him “a pleaser,” who’s willing to “buy into everything” the new staff is trying to do with the team. Rudolph said he’d keep the same house in the Twin Cities area and continue to drive the same truck, splurging only for philanthropy: to upgraded the weight room at his alma mater, Elder High School in Cincinnati.

“I’m anticipating that he’ll continue to flourish,” Zimmer said, adding: “He’s a good guy, and I like when good guys get rewarded.”

___

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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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