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Rams hope healthy line boosts running game

By WTOP Staff

JEFF LATZKE
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A St. Louis Rams running game that needs beefing up this preseason could get a big boost for Saturday night’s game at Cleveland.

Coach Jeff Fisher said Sunday that left tackle Jake Long (knee) and right guard Rodger Saffold (neck) could both play this week after sitting out the first two games of the preseason, giving the Rams their full starting offensive line.

St. Louis managed just 78 yards on 27 rushes in a 21-7 loss to Green Bay on Saturday, with starter Zac Stacy getting only 6 yards on six carries. Excluding a 38-yard gain on a fake punt, the Rams are averaging a measly 3.2 yards per rush this preseason.

“Really it’s not an excuse, but it looked as if there was an extra guy on the line of the scrimmage most of the time (Saturday),” Fisher said. “Our run philosophy is that we really don’t care how many guys are on the line of scrimmage. We need to run the football. But we haven’t necessarily worked against those type of things that we saw.”

Fisher said the Rams’ offense and defense shouldn’t be quite so bland this week, and quarterback Sam Bradford will likely get more work than he did while playing the first two series in his preseason debut Saturday.

“We’re going to do a little more this week on both sides of the ball. we need to. We need to put the players under a little more stress from a game plan standpoint,” Fisher said.

“We’re going to put a little bit more on the game plan cover sheet that we have had. That doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to call it,” he added. “Opening day, the National Football League’s a lot different than he preseason games from a standpoint of what you do.”

Long tore two ligaments in his right knee in St. Louis’ next-to-last game last December and had surgery in January. He has been practicing but was held out of the first two exhibitions.

Saffold, who re-signed with the Rams this offseason after Oakland voided his contract due to a shoulder injury found during a physical, hasn’t played this preseason due to a stinger in his neck.

Filling in have been No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson, who is expected to move to left guard when Long returns, and free agent acquisition Davin Joseph, a former Pro Bowl selection during his time with Tampa Bay.

But while the team’s starting linemen are getting healthy again, St. Louis expects to be without two reserve centers for at least a few weeks. Fisher said Barrett Jones — the two-time All-America selection from Alabama — will miss at least the rest of the preseason after what he termed “minor” back surgery and seventh-round draft pick Demetrius Rhaney is out at least a month with a severe bone bruise in his left knee suffered during a special teams drill in practice last Wednesday.

“We suspected the worst but we got good news,” Fisher said. “He has no ligament damage whatsoever.

“I can’t tell you whether it’s going to be four weeks or six weeks, but I would not expect him back within the four-week time period.”

At times against the Packers, the Rams looked thin along the offensive line with all the injuries and precautionary holdouts. Mike Person essentially played every snap. After starting at guard, he moved to tackle and later played at center with Jones and Rhaney out. In the fourth quarter, St. Louis gave backup right tackle Sean Hooey his first tryout at left tackle, and he gave up three sacks in a four-snap span.

Yet Fisher said the team doesn’t see an urgent need to add a lineman, although the Rams always pay attention to the waiver wire with roster cuts upcoming.

“We’re good right now,” he said. “We’ve got depth. We’ve got flexibility.”

Middle linebacker James Laurinitis (ankle) and defensive tackle Michael Brockers (ankle) could also return this week, Fisher said, but the team confirmed return man Isaiah Pead will miss the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee as suspected after Saturday’s game.

___

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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