Woodson Won’t Rest on His Laurels

The regular season must have seemed a breeze compared to Charles Woodson’s December, an exhaustive, cross-country, award-accepting whirlwind that concluded with his winning the Heisman Trophy eight days ago in New York.

Top-ranked Michigan hasn’t played a game since beating Ohio State on Nov. 22, but Woodson watchers say festivities took their toll on the junior cornerback/receiver.

Arriving at Michigan’s first Rose Bowl practice Saturday at Saddleback College, Woodson said he was glad to be back playing football.

“I know what got me here--hard work,� Woodson said. “Just because I received the Heisman Trophy, and a lot of other awards, that doesn’t mean I’m going to slack off now.�

Besides winning the Heisman, Woodson was named the Walter Camp player of the year, was awarded the Chicago Tribune’s prestigious Silver Football--it predates the Heisman--and was honored as the Bronko Nagurski defensive player of the year and the Big Ten most valuable player.

A distraction?

“It can be, for some people,� Woodson said. “For me, once I step on the field, I’m all business.�

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Washington State arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday and will be based in Santa Monica. The Cougars will practice at the Coliseum, an interesting choice given the school’s history in the stadium. When Washington State defeated USC on Sept. 13, it marked the Cougars’ first victory at the Coliseum since 1957. The Cougars are 4-36 in the edifice, but Coach Mike Price feels his team’s victory there broke whatever hex there may have been.

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Michigan is staying in Dana Point until Wednesday, at which time the team moves camp to Pasadena and practices at Citrus College. Why did the Wolverines come to California so early? For one, Saturday’s projected high temperature in Detroit was 36 degrees. . . . Early Rose Bowl paranoia barometer: All Michigan practices will be closed to the public. All but one of Washington State’s Coliseum practices--it hasn’t been decided which one--will be open, beginning each day at 10:15 a.m. with two exceptions: Dec. 28 (11:15 a.m.) and Dec. 30 (2 p.m.)