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Luck tries to make amends for ‘stupid’ decision

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Luck studies the sport of football incessantly.

When something works, he wants to know why. When something fails, he scours game tape to find a solution. And when Luck makes a mistake, well, he quickly takes the blame.

Five days after rushing his offense to the line of scrimmage and calling an ill-advised quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal from the Denver 1-yard line, Indy’s third-year quarterback didn’t change his assessment of what he described earlier this week as a poor play call.

“It’s still a stupid decision, and it will remain so for perpetuity,” Luck said, drawing laughter from a crowd of reporters huddled around his locker Thursday.

Luck contends he should have been smart enough to realize the Broncos loaded up against the run and that the Colts (0-1) didn’t have the right personnel on the field to execute it.

The result: Luck was stopped at the 2-yard line, leaving the Colts without points and prompting Luck to uncharacteristically slam his helmet on the ground. Indy wound up losing the game 31-24.

Rather than repeatedly relive that moment, Luck believes he learned a critical lesson about assessing the situation and calling time out if needed. It’s a mistake he’s not likely to make again.

For Luck, harsh self-critiques are merely part of a regular process.

A year ago, after cutting his regular season interception total in half — from 18 to nine — he was picked off seven times in two playoff games.

During the Colts’ offseason workouts, Luck brought up the number before anyone could even ask about it and quickly acknowledged that he had to protect the ball better if Indianapolis was going to make a Super Bowl run.

Even when asked about being hit too frequently or the struggles of the running game, Luck often blames himself for not getting the Colts into the right play.

While teammates and coaches have embraced Luck’s combination of blatant honesty and personal accountability, they also insist that one of the league’s best young quarterbacks doesn’t need to unnecessarily shoulder the burden. Luck turns 25 on Friday.

“We all know that he’s an accountable guy, but I think as the head football coach, I’ve got to do a better job of managing that situation for our entire football team,” coach Chuck Pagano said. “It’s not on just Andrew.”

In many ways, there’s little to quibble with on the pro resume.

Luck is 22-11 in the regular season, 1-2 in the playoffs, has produced 11 game-winning drives, the second-largest comeback in playoff history and has won a division title. He holds the NFL record for most yards passing in a player’s first two NFL seasons (8,196), has rushed for more touchdowns (10) than any quarterback other than Cam Newton since 2012 and could soon reach the top five on some of the Colts’ career passing charts.

But Luck is a consummate student of football.

The valedictorian of his high school class and an architectural major at Stanford still spends countless hours trying to refine his craft and look for an edge.

And after last weekend’s loss in Denver, Luck figures there are plenty of areas he can improve upon before Monday night’s home opener against defending NFC East champion Philadelphia (1-0).

“A lot of lessons to take. Got to execute, got to convert third downs,” Luck said after his latest study session. “I can tell you there’s probably a bit of a more motivating factor when you do something wrong and you watch it on film and just go clean it up.”

Especially when something goes as wrong as it did in Denver.

It’s a mistake Luck could have avoided by calling a timeout or waiting for subs to come in, and it’s a mistake he promises not to make again.

“I knew where the ball was, so it was stupid,” Luck said.

Notes: Defensive tackle Josh Chapman (ankle), linebacker Jerrell Freeman (hamstring), defensive lineman Arthur Jones (shoulder), offensive lineman Joe Reitz (ankle) and cornerback Greg Toler (ribs) did not practice Thursday. Receiver Reggie Wayne sat out to get some extra rest. Center Khaled Holmes (ankle) and running back Ahmad Bradshaw (rest) did limited work Thursday. … The Colts signed running back Zurlon Tipton to the practice squad and released offensive tackle Reid Fragel from the practice squad. Tipton was waived earlier this week. The moves came after outside linebacker Cam Johnson went on injured reserve with a left elbow injury.

___

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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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