NCAA
Why isn’t Davis Warren starting at QB for the Michigan Wolverines? Who is his replacement, Alex Orji?
Quarterback Davis Warren has been benched for the Michigan Wolverines’ Big Ten clash with the USC Trojans.
Davis Warren won’t be starting at quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines this weekend, having paid the price for his poor form in the opening stages of the NCAA Division I regular season. Alex Orji will be Michigan’s signal caller in Saturday’s Big Ten match-up with conference newcomers the USC Trojans, head coach Sherrone Moore confirmed earlier this week.
Warren delivers disastrous display vs Red Wolves
Warren has thrown for just two touchdowns and has amassed six interceptions in Michigan’s three games so far this year - including three turnovers in last weekend’s 28-18 win over the Arkansas State Red Wolves. During the national champions’ victory over Arkansas State, Warren was replaced by back-up quarterback Orji, who threw a touchdown pass for tight end Hogan Hansen in the fourth quarter.
“Alex will start on Saturday,” Moore told a press conference on Monday. “Excited for him, he’s been champing at the bit.” The coach added: “He’s had a great couple of weeks of practice. So has Davis, but obviously you’ve got to perform in-game. I’m excited to see what Alex is going to do.”
Moore offered words of encouragement for Warren, but declared: “At the end of the day, we’ve got to pick the guys that are going to help us win.”
“It’s a tough situation,” he said. “You know, the big thing we talk about is taking care of the football and [not] putting it in harm’s away. He [Warren] is a great team player, so to watch him celebrate Alex’s touchdown [against Arkansas State] and go up there and give him a hug… There’s not much I need to tell him to hype him up or support him. We’ll continue to support him, he’s one of the players in our team, regardless of things that happen.”
Moore concluded: “For us, Davis has been awesome, he’s been great. He’s obviously down, he’s not happy about his performance by any means, but [we’re] definitely still uplifting him in any way.”
Who is Alex Orji?
A 6ft 3in, 235lb quarterback in his junior year at Michigan, Orji has had limited game time for the Wolverines, having so far made 12 appearances in his three seasons with the team. In 2024, the Texas native has thrown for 15 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions from six attempts. A dual-threat QB, he has managed 58 rushing yards from 10 attempts.
Some have questioned Orji’s throwing ability, but in an interview with WXYZDetroit’s Brad Galli this week, Moore backed the 20-year-old to silence his doubters against USC. “I think they’ll find out real quick that he can throw the football,” the Michigan boss said. “People have their opinions on him, but he can definitely throw. He’ll make some big throws this week.”
USC vs Michigan: start time, how to watch
The NCAA Division I clash between the USC Trojans and the Michigan Wolverines takes place today, Saturday September 21, with kick-off at Michigan Stadium scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT. Viewers in the United States will be able to watch the game on CBS, and your streaming options include the online platform fubo, which offers new users a free introductory trial.
Enjoy USC vs Michigan live on fubo.
The Wolverines head into the clash with a 2-1 record so far in the 2024 regular season, while the Trojans, who have played one game fewer, are 2-0 this year.