Brian Cushing

The Houston Texans asked the NFL on Monday to reduce or rescind the four-game suspension given to star linebacker Brian Cushing , saying he has a unique medical condition stemming from something called overtrained athlete syndrome. Cushing described the condition after Monday morning's practice. He said the syndrome can trigger hormonal spikes after breaks in training, explaining why he would have tested positive for a fertility drug last September — a drug he said he never took.

From Houston — Memo to opponents of the Houston Texans: Watch what you say about inside linebacker Brian Cushing. And what you don't say about him. In helping the Texans defense improve from 30th to seventh in the NFL rankings, Cushing has become a motivation-seeking missile. He's constantly scouring the Internet for personal slights that he can use to his advantage, so his ears perk up when he hears his name, or when he doesn't hear it. "I'll use the littlest things," Cushing said this week during a break from preparations for Sunday's game at Baltimore.

Offense Backfield: There are four USC quarterbacks in the NFL, and Cincinnati's Carson Palmer (first in 2003), Arizona's Matt Leinart (10th in 2006) and the New York Jets' Mark Sanchez (fifth in 2009) were top-10 draft picks. UCLA's Maurice Jones-Drew was overshadowed by USC's Reggie Bush in college, but he now leads the league with 13 rushing touchdowns. Line: There are two tackles, two guards and a center in the league -- all Trojans. Receivers: The tight ends include something old (USC's Billy Miller of Houston, a 10-year veteran)

The Houston Texans asked the NFL on Monday to reduce or rescind the four-game suspension given to star linebacker Brian Cushing , saying he has a unique medical condition stemming from something called overtrained athlete syndrome. Cushing described the condition after Monday morning's practice. He said the syndrome can trigger hormonal spikes after breaks in training, explaining why he would have tested positive for a fertility drug last September — a drug he said he never took.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The defense that on Saturday became the first in four years to shut out Notre Dame at home was bolstered by the return of junior linebacker Brian Cushing, who had barely played since the season opener against Idaho because of a bothersome ankle. "With Cush back, spiritually it gives us a great boost because of his temperament," defensive coordinator Nick Holt said after the Trojans' 38-0 victory over the Fighting Irish. "He brings a lot of fire to our huddle."

Houston's top draft pick, linebacker Brian Cushing , won't play in Saturday's exhibition opener against Kansas City because of a sprained left knee. Cushing did not practice Wednesday and watched the team's workouts with a brace on the knee. Coach Gary Kubiak said no one was sure when Cushing was injured, but the knee started bothering the rookie Tuesday night and he had an MRI exam. "It's no big deal," Cushing said. "It's a knee sprain. We'll move forward and I'll keep getting the mental notes and I'll be healthy soon."

Like most freshmen who have arrived at USC during the Pete Carroll era, linebacker Brian Cushing said he was attracted by the opportunity to compete for playing time in his first year. But Cushing said Monday that he was surprised the chance came so soon. With starting strong-side linebacker Dallas Sartz slowed by a hip injury, Cushing has been working with the first-unit defense. "If the season was starting tomorrow, I think I'd do all right," Cushing said.

Mitch Mustain transferred to USC intent on becoming John David Booty's successor as the Trojans' starting quarterback. Mustain, however, was fourth on the depth chart behind starter Mark Sanchez, Garrett Green and Aaron Corp for last week's game against Oregon State. So the low-key Mustain appeared more upbeat and confident than he has been in some time on Thursday after Coach Pete Carroll confirmed that he would back up Sanchez against No. 23 Oregon on Saturday.

After spending a week answering questions about their confidence, toughness and that embarrassing loss to Stanford, USC's players welcomed Saturday's open date. None, perhaps, more than middle linebacker Chris Galippo . While others among the Trojans' struggling front seven have been sidelined because of injuries or sat out plays because of rotations at their positions, Galippo has been on the field for nearly every meaningful snap this season. That, of course, includes recent blowout losses against Oregon and Stanford, games in which the Trojans gave up a combined 716 rushing yards and 102 points.

USC linebacker Brian Cushing envisioned the scenario. Nearing the end of an outstanding senior season, he would play one of his final games in one of college football's greatest intersectional rivalries. He would emerge from the Coliseum tunnel in front of more than 90,000 fans and lay it all on the line. . . . For Notre Dame. Occasionally, Cushing still finds it hard to believe he is a Trojan. So does his father, Frank.

The summons from Monte Kiffin arrived before the start of spring practice. Devon Kennard had moved from defensive end to strong-side linebacker during his freshman season at USC, but he was unsure how a new coaching staff viewed him. Now, he was sitting in the office of the Trojans' assistant head coach for defense, one of the most respected defensive minds in recent NFL history. "We were just talking and he was asking me questions about alignments — all that stuff," Kennard recalled.

Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing said Thursday he never used any banned substances even though he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Cushing was suspended for four games without pay last week for violating the NFL's drug policy. His appeal was denied. Cushing, who played for USC, confirmed he tested positive for HCG, a fertility drug that is on the league's list of banned substances. "The question of how it got into my body is still unclear," he said.

A positive drug test notwithstanding, Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing is still the Associated Press NFL defensive rookie of the year. Five days after he was suspended without pay for four games, a nationwide panel of 50 sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL voted again to give Cushing the award. He didn't receive anywhere near the 39 votes of his previous landslide victory, but the 18 he got in Wednesday's revote were enough to reclaim the honor. "I was just glad to hear the news, that people stuck by me. Very honored," Cushing said.

Houston Texans and former USC linebacker Brian Cushing tested positive for HCG, a fertility drug that is on the NFL's banned substance list. A person familiar with Cushing's case told the Associated Press on Tuesday that Cushing had one positive test last September, then subsequently tested negative several times. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the test results were supposed to remain confidential. "He had one low-level positive test for HCG in September, and then every test after that was negative," the person said.

Former football star Lawrence Taylor admitted paying for sex at a suburban Holiday Inn where police say he raped a 16-year-old runaway, federal prosecutors said Friday in a criminal complaint against the girl's alleged pimp. The papers filed in federal court in Manhattan refer to Taylor only as "Client-1." In the paperwork, authorities claim the Pro Football Hall of Famer told police following his arrest on Thursday that he had taken a car service from Newark (N.J.) International Airport to the hotel north of New York City to meet "Victim-1."

Their ability to make plays all over the football field earned them acclaim as USC linebackers. Now, those former college standouts are showing even more range. They're making plays all over the NFL map. From Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga in Cincinnati, to Kaluka Maiava in Cleveland, to Brian Cushing in Houston, to Clay Matthews III in Green Bay, the program historically known for its offensive stars has become pro football's student body smite . "These guys, they don't know what it is to loaf," said Mike Zimmer, Cincinnati's defensive coordinator.

Their ability to make plays all over the football field earned them acclaim as USC linebackers. Now, those former college standouts are showing even more range. They're making plays all over the NFL map. From Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga in Cincinnati, to Kaluka Maiava in Cleveland, to Brian Cushing in Houston, to Clay Matthews III in Green Bay, the program historically known for its offensive stars has become pro football's student body smite . "These guys, they don't know what it is to loaf," said Mike Zimmer, Cincinnati's defensive coordinator.

Who is going to beat them? A game that was supposed to supply this year's USC football team with its first definitive answer instead ended with a roaring, resounding question. Who is going to beat them? You tell me, after watching the Trojans dismantle the country's fifth-ranked team by 32 points Saturday night, exactly who is going to be better than them? "If we practice and prepare as we have done, I don't think anybody," said beaming Trojan Kyle Moore, standing firm on the unscarred Coliseum field, saucer-eyed Ohio State players trudging around him. This supposed game of the century ended up being a referendum on the last eight years.

Offense Backfield: There are four USC quarterbacks in the NFL, and Cincinnati's Carson Palmer (first in 2003), Arizona's Matt Leinart (10th in 2006) and the New York Jets' Mark Sanchez (fifth in 2009) were top-10 draft picks. UCLA's Maurice Jones-Drew was overshadowed by USC's Reggie Bush in college, but he now leads the league with 13 rushing touchdowns. Line: There are two tackles, two guards and a center in the league -- all Trojans. Receivers: The tight ends include something old (USC's Billy Miller of Houston, a 10-year veteran)

After spending a week answering questions about their confidence, toughness and that embarrassing loss to Stanford, USC's players welcomed Saturday's open date. None, perhaps, more than middle linebacker Chris Galippo . While others among the Trojans' struggling front seven have been sidelined because of injuries or sat out plays because of rotations at their positions, Galippo has been on the field for nearly every meaningful snap this season. That, of course, includes recent blowout losses against Oregon and Stanford, games in which the Trojans gave up a combined 716 rushing yards and 102 points.