Pirate Galaxy » Cougars crack the Top 25 this week, but anoth

ASHBURN, Va. -- Ziggy Hood didnt let a foot injury slow him down. He put some in-soles in his cleats and worked his way back into the NFL.A year after tearing the plantar fascia in his left foot, the 29-year-old defensive lineman showed the Washington Redskins he could still rush the passer as well as he did earlier in his career. And Hood didnt just earn a roster spot -- hell start Monday night against the team that drafted him, the Pittsburgh Steelers.Every day he brought his lunch pail, defensive end Chris Baker said Wednesday. Hes one of those guys that if a young guy wants to know how you can stay in the league, you want to watch a guy like Ziggy because he goes 100 percent all day. He knew what was at stake this year, and he went out there and worked his butt off and made this team.Washingtons coaching staff didnt know what to expect from Hood after signing him to a futures contract over the winter, especially after the injury. But the 2009 first-round pick made his presence felt all training camp and in preseason games to earn the starting defensive end job opposite Baker.Once we got the pads on him was really when he stood out, coach Jay Gruden said. The 1-on-1 drills, the team drills, he was in the backfield being very disruptive. It was a consistent thing. It wasnt like one day he did well and the next day he didnt do anything. He was consistently a nuisance and a problem for our offense.Being consistently a nuisance was part of Hoods career revitalization plan. Since his time in Pittsburgh ended following the 2013 season, Hood felt himself succeeding in flashes and disappearing for stretches.That wasnt going to work. He went back to the style and mentality that made him a starter with the Steelers.A private coach told him not every sack is going to be pretty, so Hood ditched the finesse and went back to a power rushing game.One of my most favorite things to do is to weightlift, so I have to move that from there and put it on the field, Hood said. Why not use my power and leverage that I got and use it on the field? Thats what I was able to do this training camp.It was never going to be a matter of Hood not working hard enough. He insists hes not old -- or at least doesnt feel old -- but he had to show he still had something in the tank.By the time the fourth preseason game rolled around, Hood didnt even have to travel or play. He was already a lock to be on the 53-man roster.Ziggy was always a hard-working professional, so its no surprise to me that hes still sustaining himself and being helpful to a football team, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said on a conference call Wednesday. Hes always had a good natural get-off. Hes always working at his craft. He realizes that as a professional, detail is an element of it, and when he was with us that was always his approach to getting better.Thats the lesson Hood taught current Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward, who still considers the veteran a friend.Ziggy was always a great teammate, unselfish, Heyward said. He came to work every day with his hard hat on.With hard hat and pads on, Hood was at his best at Redskins camp. The Missouri product learned to play the edge and inside and took advantage of a defense that allowed him more freedom to get to the quarterback.The more you know, the better opportunity you (give) yourself to get out on the field, Hood said. I was fortunate enough and blessed to make the roster here predicated from hard work and determination and was able to go out there and do something.Note: Shawn Lauvao won the starting left guard job over banged-up Spencer Long. Lauvao showed he was healthy after five surgeries to repair damage to his left ankle and right foot.---AP Sports freelancer Dan Scifo in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Custom Jazz Jersey China . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. Wholesale Custom Jazz Shirts . Mitch Holmberg added a goal and three assists. Connor Chartier also scored for the Chiefs (3-0-0). Luke Harrison spoiled Garrett Hughsons shutout bid with a power-play goal at 13:17 of the third period. The Spokane goaltender finished with 28 saves, including a Brandon Fushimi penalty shot in the second period that would have tied the game 1-1. http://www.customjazzjersey.com/ . The Croatian served 21 aces and hit 42 winners against Sijsling, who double-faulted to give Cilic a 4-3 lead in the deciding set. "All the players, they know me and they were really happy to see me and they were really happy that this is over for me," Cilic said. Custom Jazz Jerseys . - Blake Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds, J. Cheap Jazz Jerseys . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. PULLMAN, Wash. -- Over the past three weeks, Washington State has started conference play by taking down three of the teams expected to be at the top of the Pac-12.The Cougars are rolling and theyre winning with more than just Luke Falks arm.Hey, we can do it other ways, Falk said.Gerard Wicks rushed for a pair of 1-yard touchdowns, Jamal Morrow added another TD run, and Washington State won its fourth straight, 27-21 over UCLA on Saturday night.The Cougars beat Oregon, Stanford and UCLA in consecutive weeks and validated their position as the other contender in the Pac-12 North along with Washington.Wicks first touchdown late in the second quarter gave the Cougars (4-2, 3-0 Pac-12) a 10-0 lead and his second 1-yard plunge pushed the lead to 17-7 midway through the third quarter. Morrow added a 3-yard TD run late in the third as the Cougars beat UCLA in consecutive years for the first time since 2006 and 2007.I was proud of our guys for sticking in there and playing tough like they did. Because the conditions and our opponent, you have to be tough, Washington State coach Mike Leach said. We could have finished better but we had a lot of awful good stuff in between to make this happen.UCLA (3-4, 1-3) played without starting quarterback Josh Rosen a week after he suffered shoulder and leg injuries against Arizona State. The shoulder was the problem on Saturday, as Rosen only attempted a couple of throws during pregame warmups before determining he couldnt go.Backup Mike Fafaul, making his first college start, was 24-of-40 passing for 258 yards. Fafaul threw two touchdown passes to Darren Andrews and added a 5-yard TD throw to Jordan Lasley. Fafaul hit Andrews on a 22-yard TD in the third quarter and his 4-yard TD pass to Andrews with 3:17 left pulled the Bruins with 27-21.UCLA got the ball back with 2:43 remaining after holding Washington State to a three-and-out. But on the first play Lasley was hit from behind by Dylan Hanser and fumbled. Washington States Robert Taylor fell on the loose ball. The Cougars punted back to UCLA with under a minute remaining but Charleston White intercepted Fafaul to clinch the win.Im just kind of still feeling it about the game, the loss. It doesnt matter to me how I play, Fafaul said. Id rather throw three interceptions and win the game than throw three touchdowns and (lose).Falk failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in his career. He finished 28 of 48 for 261 yards on a cold, rainy night on the Palouse.dddddddddddd Falk was intercepted in the end zone in the first half and fumbled an attempted pass in the third quarter that led to UCLAs first touchdown.But Falk led three long touchdown drives, including an 18-play, 91-yard drive in the second quarter that was capped by Wicks first touchdown.It was a forgettable night for the Bruins that included a (minus) 1-yard punt from Austin Kent in the first quarter that led to a few choice words from coach Jim Mora. Aside from a promising debut by Fafaul, UCLA was bullied on the line of scrimmage and saw its defense give up more than 24 points in regulation for the first time this season.Im obviously not doing a good job of getting the message through, Mora said. The buck obviously stops with me. It should, as the head coach. All blame should be focused entirely, initially on the head coach. Its my job to make sure we get it right with everyone else. Im accepting of that. Ive been in this situation a lot of times. When you coach for a long time, youve got to fight your way out of it, thats all you can do.POLL IMPLICATIONSWashington State was already starting to pick up votes in last weeks AP Top 25 and thats only going to increase. It would be a stretch to see the Cougars crack the Top 25 this week, but another win may do it.FINALLY!Washington State became the final FBS team in the country to make a field goal when Powell hit a 36-yard attempt midway through the first quarter to take a 3-0 lead. Powell had missed his first attempts of the season -- one in each game. Powell made another 36-yarder in the fourth quarter.THE TAKEAWAYUCLA: The Bruins continued to have no running game on a night where the weather and circumstances with their quarterback called for having offensive balance. The Bruins rushed for 43 yards on 25 carries, the fourth time in five games UCLA failed to crack 100 yards rushing as a team.Washington State: The Cougars continue to get big production from their trio of running backs. The Cougars rushed for 95 yards, but the trio of Wicks, Morrow and James Williams added eight catches for 65 yards.UP NEXTUCLA: The Bruins return home to host No. 21 Utah next Saturday, their next-to-last home game.Washington State: The Cougars travel to Arizona State next Saturday, the first of two straight road games. ' ' '