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Ready or not, it’s Teddy Time in Minnesota

By WTOP Staff

JON KRAWCZYNSKI
AP Sports Writer

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — From the moment the Minnesota Vikings traded back into the first round to take Teddy Bridgewater, it was only a matter of time before he took over as the team’s starting quarterback.

When Bridgewater makes his first start on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, he will be in line for something even bigger — the new face of the franchise.

With Adrian Peterson away from the team while he faces child abuse charges, the Vikings are searching for a new identity while the chaos from Peterson’s legal troubles and injuries to several high-profile players threaten to derail the team less than a month into the season.

In steps Bridgewater, the unflappable rookie, and all he has to do is pull the Vikings out of a spiral and step into the void left by Peterson’s departure.

No pressure, Teddy.

“It’s no pressure on me and it’s not all about me,” Bridgewater said Wednesday. “It takes a team effort to win football games and we have 11 guys on defense who are going to play their tails off. We have 11 guys on special teams and 10 other guys on the offensive side of the ball that are going to be out there competing for one another. There’s no pressure for me to have to fill the needs or anything. … It’s just all about the team.”

With quarterback Matt Cassel lost for the season with a foot injury and Peterson out indefinitely while the legal process plays out, the Vikings have become Teddy’s team much faster than anyone expected.

The Vikings traded back into the first round on the opening night of the draft to snag Bridgewater in hopes that he could finally become the long-term answer at quarterback the team has been searching for ever since Daunte Culpepper went down with a knee injury in 2005.

Peterson was expected to continue to be the team’s star player for at least another season or two, providing a cocoon for the young quarterback while he got his feet underneath him. That all changed two weeks ago with Peterson’s stunning arrest in a child-abuse charge in Texas.

Ready or not, it’s Teddy Time in Minnesota.

“Honestly,” coach Mike Zimmer said, “I think he’s been ready since the day he walked in.”

The Vikings started the season with the veteran Cassel, hoping to ease Bridgewater’s transition and give him some time to get acclimated to NFL life. While Cassel was running with the starters, Bridgewater distinguished himself by not distinguishing himself at all.

Earlier on draft night, Minnesota attempted to trade up to No. 22 to grab Johnny Manziel, the flamboyant Texas A&M quarterback. But Cleveland outbid the Vikings, who then set their sights on Bridgewater.

While Manziel has drawn headlines for his party-hearty lifestyle off the field, Bridgewater has been whisper quiet in the meeting rooms and sound bite-proof in his interactions with the media.

“He doesn’t really get overwhelmed,” fullback Jerome Felton said. “He works hard. He’s humble. He comes prepared. So I think that’s the biggest thing. He prepares himself well. He’s in here early, leaves late, so he’ll be just fine.”

Bridgewater stepped in for the injured Cassel on Sunday and completed 12 of 20 passes for 150 yards against a New Orleans defense that played the pass very aggressively with Peterson gone. The offense didn’t score a touchdown with him in the game, but his ability to handle the heat carried over from his turns in the huddle during the preseason.

“I remember the first preseason game I asked Teddy whether he was nervous or not and of course he said no. And I thought, you know, he’s just a liar,” backup quarterback Christian Ponder said. “But the guy doesn’t get nervous. The guy has a ton of poise and played extremely well. I expect that to continue the next game and so on.”

When Bridgewater takes the field for his first game as a starter on Sunday against Atlanta (2-1), he won’t have Peterson to take his handoffs. He won’t have tight end Kyle Rudolph, who will miss about six weeks after having sports hernia surgery, to catch his passes and he won’t have starting right guard Brandon Fusco, who is out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle, to block for him.

He also won’t have a big entourage in the stands. Bridgewater said earlier this season — while he was still Cassel’s backup — he put six people, including his mother, girlfriend and agent, on a list to watch the game. Now that he’s starting, “the number hasn’t changed.”

“I gave myself a moment Monday morning,” Bridgewater said. “I woke up and told myself, ‘Hey, your dream is finally here and it’s coming true.’ It’s not the way that I wanted it to happen, but I’m still going to have to take advantage of this opportunity.

“It’s one thing to be named the guy, but for me I want to continue to just be the guy for a long time.”

___

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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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