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Giants RB Wilson’s career over due to neck injury

By WTOP Staff

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New York Giants running back David Wilson’s NFL career is over after two seasons because of a neck injury.

The 23-year-old Wilson was told by doctors Monday that he risked more serious problems if he kept playing.

He underwent fusion surgery to repair vertebrae and a herniated disk in his neck in January. Then at practice last Tuesday, Wilson caught a pass and ran with his head down into the back of an offensive lineman, a hit that caused numbness in his hands and lower extremities.

He missed the final 11 games last season after being diagnosed with spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal cord.

“I don’t want anybody to feel sorry for me, or pity me,” he said in a statement released by the team. “I lived my dream. A lot of people only get to dream their dream. I lived that dream. Now I have a chance to dream another dream and live that, too.”

Wilson was drafted in the first round, 32nd overall, out of Virginia Tech in 2012. As a rookie, he rushed for 358 yards and scored four touchdowns while making his mark as a kick returner. Wilson led the NFL with 1,533 kickoff return yards, a team record.

But he got off to a slow start last season before the injury.

Wilson’s condition is not expected to require additional surgery or therapy.

Wilson met Monday morning with Dr. Russell Warren, the team’s physician, and Dr. Frank Cammisa, the chief of spine service at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery. Cammisa performed the spinal fusion surgery on Wilson.

They told him he needed to stop playing football.

Wilson then returned to the Giants’ training facility and met with team President John Mara, general manager Jerry Reese and coach Tom Coughlin.

Coughlin was prepared for the worst before getting the official medical reports about Wilson.

“We had pretty much braced ourselves for not good news, although trying to be optimistic and not trying to go ahead and make some kind of a statement prior to getting that information,” he said on a conference call. “We were certainly excited thinking that everything was going to be OK with David. But in the back of your mind: How are you going to be affected as a team? It would be irresponsible not to give some thought to that.”

Wilson had only 146 yards on 44 carries and one touchdown in five games last season before the injury. He struggled with holding onto the ball, losing three fumbles.

Against New Orleans his rookie season, Wilson set a team record for all-purpose yards with 327. He had 227 yards on kickoff returns and added 100 rushing.

The Giants will now move on without Wilson. In the preseason opener against Buffalo on Sunday, rookie Andre Williams led a power running game. He had 48 yards on seven carries and a TD. Veteran Peyton Hillis added 36 yards on seven attempts, and newcomer Rashad Jennings gained 23 yards on seven carries and caught three passes for 20 yards.

“I’m encouraged, period,” Coughlin said. “I thought eventually we got to where we ran the ball pretty well. That might not have been their (starters) in there, but still we did have some consistency with runs there.”

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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