Michigan to arrive early again

The Michigan football team has a habit of arriving early for the Rose Bowl, and this year is no different.

Equipment trucks pulled into the Wolverines’ practice site -- the Home Depot Center in Carson -- to begin unloading Thursday. Players and coaches were scheduled to check into their hotel this afternoon and start workouts Saturday.

All practices will be closed to the public.

Official Rose Bowl events do not begin until next week. USC and Michigan will visit Disney’s California Adventure on Tuesday, and the annual Lawry’s Beef Bowl will come later.

A Michigan spokesman said the Wolverines would spend this weekend acclimating to the time difference. No special outings were planned, and the team did not expect to attend the UCLA-Michigan basketball game at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday.

“We’ve got about 120 players,” spokesman David Ablauf said. “I don’t think there are enough UCLA season-ticket holders who would give us their seats.”

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-- David Wharton