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Coaches use large network to watch for injury

By WTOP Staff

RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer

The sideline is often the worst place to watch a football game. Even for the head coach standing front and center, getting a good look at what is happening on the field can be difficult.

Behind the coach can be 100 players and dozens of assistants and staffers packed into an area 50 yards long, all zipping from play to play.

How is a coach supposed to look for injuries in all that activity, and still run his team? With plenty of help.

Michigan’s athletic director apologized Tuesday after quarterback Shane Morris was allowed to play after taking a late hit that left him wobbly. Morris, who also had a sprained ankle, stayed in the game for one more play after the big hit. The school said athletic trainers did not test him for a concussion because they didn’t see the late hit. Head coach Brady Hoke allowed Morris to go back into the game for one play before he was finally tested for a concussion.

The situation has raised questions about Michigan’s decision-making process and about whose responsibility it is to be looking for injuries amid chaos on the field.

All major college football programs have athletic trainers and team doctors on the sideline, along with a group of student assistants. Assistant coaches are also told to be on alert for injuries.

While coaches are expected to be aware of their players, for the medical staff, it’s the top priority.

“Our trainers and doctors are looking at the game at a whole different perspective than I am,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said.

Some programs rely on more than just the medical staff. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said his head athletic trainer, Rob Hunt, uses student trainers as spotters to watch the field for injured players.

Between athletic trainers, doctors and student assistants, most big-time college football programs will have around 20 people on the sideline during games who are in some way part of a medical staff.

At a Clemson football game, the Tigers will have seven full-time athletic trainers and doctors on the sideline, plus another 15 student assistants.

“We have a monstrous medical staff. We’ve got doctors for doctors,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.

Typically, when there is a player being treated for an injury during a game that could compromise his availability, the head trainer communicates directly to the head coach. The same rule applies when a player is cleared to return to action.

“When and if the player can come back in the game, the head coach is the first person to know,” Rutgers coach Kyle Flood said.

Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said the flow of information should be immediate and constant.

“‘He’s down with this, you don’t have him for at least a series, it might be longer’ or ‘He’s down with this, you don’t have him at least to the half, I’ll let you know at halftime,’ or ‘He’s got this, he’s done.’ That way, I can tell the coordinators on the headsets that, ‘Hey, you don’t have him for at least this. Plan you don’t have him for the rest of the game, I’ll let you know when he’s back,'” Clawson said.

Doctors who work with Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin wear earpieces on the sideline to help that communication.

Hoke is one of the few head coaches who does not wear a headset on the sideline. Sumlin said at times he finds out through the headset if a player is being taken to the locker room.

At Michigan, the Morris situation was complicated when quarterback Devin Gardner had his helmet come off during a play and by rule had to miss the next play. Morris re-entered and handed the ball off to a running back. Hoke said there was some confusion about whether Michigan could use a timeout to keep Gardner in the game and in that time Morris went back on the field.

Purdue coach Darrell Hazel said what happened at Michigan got him and his staff thinking about what they might do in a similar situation. Hazel said they planned to have receiver Bilal Marshall prepared to take an emergency snap.

And every coach says that when it comes to deciding on whether a player can play, that is not their call.

“Our trainers and our doctors control who goes back in the game,” Kelly said. “So it’s out of the hands of assistant coaches and the head coach as to who goes back in the game.”

___

AP sports writers Kristie Rieken in College Station, Texas; Joedy McCreary in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Tom Coyne in South Bend, Indiana, Eric Olson in Lincoln, Nebraska; and Pete Iacobelli in Clemson, Suth Carolina; and AP freelance writer Jim Johnson in West Lafayette, Indiana, contributed.

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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