Michigan football kicks off Rose Bowl week at Disneyland, with 'one-track mind' on Alabama

ANAHEIM, Calif. − The Michigan football team can only hope its week in Los Angeles will end as magically as it began.

The No. 1 Wolverines (13-0), who reached southern California on Tuesday night for their Rose Bowl matchup with No. 4 Alabama (12-1), had their first West Coast practice Wednesday morning.

In the afternoon, coach Jim Harbaugh, Blake Corum, Mike Sainristil and Kris Jenkins got horse drawn carriage rides down Main Street at Disneyland as part of the Parade of Roses, before they gave their first public comments about the game since they arrived in Los Angeles.

"You know, this is the happiest place on earth ... (but) once you get to be 59, 60, the happiest place on earth is a winning locker room," said Harbaugh, who celebrated his 60th birthday late last week. "We got a chance to be in the happiest place on earth, which would be the winning locker room at the Rose Bowl."

All three players are in their final season with the Wolverines and spoke about soaking in the moment with their brothers, but at the same time continued to emphasize the team's sole focus is finding a way to win Monday's game.

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Corum, a unanimous All-American a season ago, set the U-M single season touchdown record (24) this year, identified two keys to victory that the Wolverines weren't able to do last year in the Fiesta Bowl against TCU or the season prior against Georgia.

Punch first and play clean.

"In a big game like this, you can't get behind the 8-ball, you must start fast," he said. "The first or second drive, points need to be put up and the defense has to get stops.

"Also, can't make mistakes. Have to make sure the other team makes more mistakes in terms of penalties and things like that. Just have to make sure we pay attention to detail, we're precise."

The last time Harbaugh spoke publicly was the afternoon the Rose Bowl matchup was announced. That day, he said he respected the Crimson Tide and legendary coach Nick Saban, and knew Jalen Milroe was a talented quarterback, but said he couldn't speak to any more specifics without turning on the tape.

In the three weeks since, Harbaugh said Wednesday that Alabama is every bit one of the top four teams in the country.

"Studied Alabama, they're really good; so good, I mean they could clear us right out of the stadium," Harbaugh said. "But we're good, too. We've got the ability to do the same to them.

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"Or there's a possibility it could be one heck of a football game; I kind of think that's the way it's gonna go."

In recent weeks leading up to the game, players and coaches alike detailed how this third time around, Harbaugh had intentionally changed bowl practice prep in order to help his players stay fresh.

They say there have been more walkthroughs and days of mental reps than full pads and top speed. While Harbaugh said he was "surprised" they even noticed a difference, he did acknowledge some things were tweaked, and alluded to the fact it had to do with experience.

"Where our team is and where they're at and what I think they need to stay there," he said. "Also just using every day, every hour, every minute to cover everything, as much as we possibly can. Knowing ourselves, knowing our opponent to get ready for this game situation."

Shutting down, or slowing down, Milroe remains the Wolverines main point of emphasis, and Harbaugh implied U-M is as prepared for as it can be without having played him, thanks to Alex Orji simulating him during scout team.

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Harbaugh talked about a throw Orji made while recently in practice; where he rolled left and threw the ball 45 yards "on a rope" to the far boundary across his body. Asked if he will be in the mix for the quarterback job next year, Harbaugh said if J.J. McCarthy does not return, Orji will be "right in the battle."

Harbaugh was also asked about his conversation with McCarthy earlier this month regarding his quarterback's future plans. McCarthy said he wanted to remain focused on the here and now and discuss other things once U-M's season ends.

That's right in line with Harbaugh, and right in line with the approach not just to the game, but this season.

"One-track mind right now," Harbaugh said. "Let's keep doing that, because that's what got us here."

New faces in the maize and blue

Eight early enrollee freshmen have traveled with the team and are practicing ahead of the Rose Bowl, a team spokesman confirmed to the Free Press on Wednesday.

Among the group who made the trip: four-star quarterback Jadyn Davis; four-star tight end Brady Prieskorn (Rochester Adams) and four-star linebacker Jeremiah Beasley (Belleville).

“I just finished my last high school game not even a whole month ago — like three weeks ago, for real," Beasley said during a toy drive earlier this month hosted by U-M's Semaj Morgan and Will Johnson. "It's a blessing."

Four-star linebacker Cole Sullivan; four star lineman Blake Frazier; four-star athlete Jacob Oden; three-star lineman Jake Guarnera and three star edge Dominic Nichols have also all made the trip.

Tight end Hogan Hansen and offensive lineman Andrew Sprague have both also enrolled early, but did not travel with the team. Sprague is scheduled to play in the All-American Bowl on Jan. 6 in San Antonio — just a few hours from the site of the College Football Playoff national championship two days later.

"Good just to kind of see the guys," Harbaugh said. "They're handling it well. Some of the guys navigated the airports and flights by themselves to be with us and be on the team. It's good."

Contact Tony Garcia: apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him at @realtonygarcia.

Next up: Rose Bowl

Matchup: No. 1 Michigan (13-0) vs. No. 4 Alabama (12-1), CFP semifinal.

Kickoff: 5:10 p.m. Jan. 1; Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California.

TV/radio: ESPN; WXYT-FM (97.1), WTKA-AM (1050).

Line: Wolverines by 1½.

At stake: The winner faces the Sugar Bowl winner between No. 2 Washington and No. 4 Texas in the CFP title game Jan. 8 in Houston.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football opens Rose Bowl week with 'one-track mind' on Alabama