Tip sheets help Virginia players prepare for travel to West Coast

The Virginia football coaching staff and 67 players will board a west-bound flight that will take them roughly 2,500 miles to Los Angeles. When the Cavaliers land they will be three hours behind East Coast time, and their body clocks will need to adjust quickly before Saturday’s game against No. 16 Southern California.

To aid the players in that regard, the Virginia coaches passed out tip sheets earlier this week with instructions as to how to prepare their bodies for the time zone shift. According to junior defensive tackle Matt Conrath, the key notes included staying hydrated throughout the week, going to bed a little later than usual and making their rooms “really bright” as soon as they arise in the morning to make sure they’re fully awake.

Coach Mike London said he consulted with other coaches whose teams have traveled from the East Coast to the West Coast to play games before drawing up a plan for his own squad. When the game kicks off Saturday night, it will be around 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

“Going Thursday helps, and then being there Friday, another full day, will help,” London said. “And then playing in the evening on Saturday will help also. You just have to get used to it, you know? We've talked to different people about nutrition, about sleep, about what you can do and how you can minimize the effects of traveling like that. We'll see, but we'll try everything we can to make sure the guys have the best opportunities to perform.”