Pirate Galaxy » -sign him despite their interest in doing so.For

Its true that No. 23 Washington State gets most of its yards via the pass in coach Mike Leachs Air Raid offense. Its also true that Washington State this year has the most productive running backs in the Pac-12.Put those two facts together and you have a pretty good explanation for why the Cougars are having one of their best seasons in recent history. Washington State (8-3, 7-1) remains in the hunt for a league title heading into Fridays Apple Cup against No.6 Washington.Leach said people who think the Air Raid involves only a quarterback and receivers do not understand the offense. It is often running backs who get the most touches, he said. Wed like to have the highest level of production from that position, Leach said.Gerard Wicks, Jamal Morrow and James Williams are the backs carrying the load. Of the three, Wicks is the biggest and strongest, Morrow has more versatility and Williams is the most dynamic runner, Leach said.Opposing coaches have noticed.Not only are they trying to run it (more), theyre really good, Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre said before the Buffaloes 38-24 victory over Washington State on Saturday.The three have piled up 1,537 yards rushing and 954 yards receiving to lead the league in total yards from scrimmage.The Cougars also lead the Pac-12 with 29 touchdowns scored by running backs.Washington State has scored 50 or more points a record four times this season, and is averaging 42 points per game.A lot of that has to do with our offensive line, Leach said. This is the biggest group weve had.Offensive lineman Eduardo Middleton said its fun to do something besides drop back into pass protection.We get to show people we are not just guys who can pass the ball, Middleton said. Its been nice.Quarterback Luke Falk, who has thrown for 3,935 yards so far this season, said the running game keeps the defense honest.People cant drop eight back on us now, Falk said. They have to respect our run game.Receiver Gabe Marks said the running backs deserve the touches they get.Back in the day, wed just run it and nothing would get done, Marks said after the Cal game, when Washington States backs combined for 254 yards and averaged 8.2 yards per rush. Its hard to deny that type of production.Washington States running game began to improve during last years 9-4 season. Washington State scored just eight rushing touchdowns and averaged 80 yards rushing per game last year but that was a big improvement over the dreadful 2014 average of 39.8 yards per game.This season, the Cougars are averaging 132 yards per game, highest in Leachs head coaching career. The Cougars have topped 200 yards rushing in a game three times.Balance is good, Marks said. Weve got some good balance right now.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25Joe Flacco Ravens Jersey . A lawyer for MLB, Matthew Menchel, confirmed Wednesday the league dropped its case against Biogenesis of America, its owner Anthony Bosch and several other individuals. The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to violate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. Ray Lewis Ravens Jersey .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. http://www.ravensrookiestore.com/Ravens-Hayden-Hurst-Jersey/ . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. Jonathan Ogden Youth Jersey .Y. - New York City has been selected to host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2015, with the game played at Madison Square Garden and the slam dunk contest and other skills events held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Mark Andrews Womens Jersey . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre.PITTSBURGH -- It might feel like a do-over Saturday when the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates play the second game of their three-game series at PNC Park.Thanks to Pittsburghs 11-inning, 6-5 win Friday, Washington is still trying to clinch the National League East title, and the Pirates are still clinging to long odds that they will get into the postseason.Actually, even if the Nationals had won Friday, they would not have clinched because their magic number was two and the New York Mets won. But a win would have left Washington in control and needing just a win Saturday -- or in any of its last nine regular-season games -- to capture its third division title in five years.Pittsburgh also has nine games left, but a 3 1/2-game mountain to get into a wild-card position might be insurmountable.Still, getting the win Friday to help keep their hopes alive and avoid a scenario where Washington gets to celebrate at their home park was something positive for the Pirates -- and especially for rookie Jacob Stallings, who hit a walk-off pinch-hit RBI single with two outs and a full count in the 11th.Obviously, its a big win for us trying to make the playoffs, Stallings said. It was pretty cool.Washingtons Joe Ross (7-5, 3.48 ERA) is slated to start Saturday, his second start since coming off the disabled list after recovering from a shoulder injury.After being out 2 1/2 mmonths, Ross allowed one run on six singles in three innings on Sunday, throwing 51 pitches, in the Nationals rain-shortened loss against Atlanta the Braves.dddddddddddd felt good, and that was what I was mainly concerned with, Ross told the Washington Post after that game. Just going out there feeling good and competing.The Nationals hope for a little more from Ross, and look for him to go longer Saturday. That is particularly true now after Washington used seven relievers Friday.Before he got hurt, Ross struck out a career-best 11 in 7 1/3 innings in a 4-1 Washington win over Pittsburgh that was Ross third major league start.Ross will be matched against one of the Pirates steadiest starters over the past seven weeks.Ivan Nova (12-7, 4.19 ERA) has been more than steady since the Pirates acquired him from the New York Yankees Aug. 1.In his first nine starts with Pittsburgh, he is 5-1 with a 2.93 ERA with 46 strikeouts and just three walks.He has made just one career start against Washington, a 4-1 win while pitching for the Yankees in 2012.Nova has been so good that reports abound that the Pirates will not be able to afford to re-sign him despite their interest in doing so.Fo-sign him despite their interest in doing so.For