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Peterson absence tough but real for Vikings

By WTOP Staff

DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Pro Football Writer

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — NFL teams make succession plans all the time for star players moving past their prime. The sudden absence of Adrian Peterson from Minnesota’s backfield, though, did not reveal a carefully crafted blueprint.

His hiatus, following a charge of child abuse against him in Texas, could hardly have been anticipated.

The Vikings, thus, have begun to try to make due with an unproven group of running backs, lacking the ready-made replacement they might have been on track to acquire next year. Even if Peterson’s age and salary already made his future with the team uncertain beyond this season, before the off-the-field issue arose, the Vikings were certainly counting on him to be the featured part of the offense in 2014.

“I don’t think you can say, ‘Hey, in this game we’re going to get three or four runs over 15 yards,’ like you would with Adrian,” offensive coordinator Norv Turner said. “So you just have to adjust your plan.”

Matt Asiata, an undrafted third-year player with 62 career carries, is expected to start Sunday at New Orleans. Rookie Jerick McKinnon will also have opportunities to run the ball and catch it out of the backfield. Joe Banyard is the other tailback on the roster.

“It was really tough, not having our best offensive player there,” said Asiata, who had 36 yards on 13 attempts last Sunday in defeat by New England. “All we’re going to do is just move forward and just have his back, but at the same time just play football. That’s our job. It’s our turn to just man up.”

The plan is to play both Asiata and McKinnon, with an eye toward who has “the hot hand,” Turner said.

“We still want to run the football. We still want to have play-action passes,” coach Mike Zimmer said, adding: “We will continually try to use the players’ strengths that we have and go from there. Obviously, it will change some.”

For quarterback Matt Cassel, particularly. He struggled last week, throwing four interceptions, but he shrugged off a reporter’s question Thursday about additional pressure.

“We can’t let that be our sole identity, that we’ve lost Adrian,” Cassel said.

Peterson has missed 10 games since his career began 2007. The Vikings actually haven’t fared that badly when he’s been out, totaling 1,323 yards and 13 touchdowns on 285 rushes. That’s an average of more than 4.6 yards per attempt. Their record in those games is 4-6.

But there’s also the matter of moving on without one of the team’s inspirational leaders. There’s been no denying this week from teammates that Peterson’s presence has been missed and will continue to be as long as he’s out. The message, though, in preparation Sunday has been clear.

“The Saints aren’t going to feel sorry for us,” Cassel said.

Zimmer has tried to remind the Vikings not to do more than they’re asked or capable of, in light of the loss of such an important player. That’s what happened, he said, during the loss to the Patriots.

“We’ve worked real hard this week about getting back to basics and understanding there’s times when you make plays in the game but the game has to come to you,” Zimmer said.

Cassel acknowledged his role in not only ensuring the offense runs smoothly. A veteran he’s helping the players around him stay focused during a whirlwind week when it would’ve been impossible to ignore the extra media attention and unexpected departure of Peterson.

“I think that it’s really important as we move forward. We do have a young, impressionable team. I think that the main thing is trying to block out the noise on the outside because there is a lot of it going on right now,” Cassel said. “You can’t get too caught up in that. You have to stay focused on the task at hand.”

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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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