UCLA football: Bruins to go in early for Tennessee game
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UCLA appears to have received California’s wake-up call.
Last season the Bears went east to play Maryland and took a budget tour -- the Atlantic Coast Conference on $5 a day? They left Friday for a Saturday game in College Park, Md. By the time the Bears woke up and shook off the jet lag, they trailed, 28-6, heading into the fourth quarter.
That 35-27 Maryland victory appears to have alerted others to the three-hour time difference.
UCLA plays Tennessee (also on EDT) on Saturday, but will fly out on Thursday afternoon.
Coach Rick Neuheisel said, “We thought we’d get back there and acclimatize ourselves.” Asked whether Cal’s experience influenced that decision, Neuheisel said, “not really,” noting that the Bears played at noon Eastern time, whereas the Bruins play at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Even now, California Coach Jeff Tedford won’t admit he might have made a mistake on his team’s travel plans last year, but when the Bears visit Minnesota on Sept. 19, they will leave for the game on Thursday.
Tedford doesn’t think the travel itinerary cost the Bears the game last season. “I still don’t believe that was the case last year,” he said, but added, “I don’t want to be bull-headed. We’ve never done this before, but let’s give it a chance.”
Neuheisel said the early departure time was essential given the number of freshmen and redshirt freshmen on the roster. The Bruins played eight true freshmen and nine redshirt freshmen Saturday in a 33-14 victory over San Diego State.
“It’s all new to them,” Neuheisel said. “How to travel, how to stay in your routine, how to stay in a hotel two nights, there has to be a lot of structure in what we do to keep guys focused between the time we get there and the time we play.”
UCLA benefits from its quarter system this week. Neuheisel said they would be unable to fly on Thursday if classes had already started.
--Chris Foster
Twitter.com/cfosterlatimes