After having a bye in Week 3, No. 11 USC had two weeks to get ready for No. 18 Michigan. However, the Trojans now have just one week to prepare for Alex Orji as the starting quarterback for the Wolverines.
Michigan’s head coach Sherrone Moore announced the switch from senior Davis Warren to junior Orji on Monday, just two days after Moore benched Warren in the third quarter of a 28-18 victory over Arkansas State. At the time Warren was taken out, he had thrown three incompletions, all of which were interceptions.
Orji completed the game and recorded his second career touchdown pass.
“I get it. I can see their perspective on the matter,” USC head coach Lincoln Riley said on Tuesday after practice.
“There are two ways to look at it, and both are valid. However, I’m not going to speculate on their reasons for making that decision. That’s up to them. We need to be prepared for everyone they have. They run a versatile offense, have a strong offensive line, talented running backs, and an elite tight end. They also have many exceptional coaches on their staff. It will be a significant challenge, no matter who is playing quarterback.”
When questioned about it, Riley chose not to disclose how extensively his team prepared for Orji during the bye week.
Riley is not underestimating Michigan or trying to provide them with any motivation. However, the statistics are clear: Michigan has faced significant challenges offensively this season. The Wolverines rank fourth from the bottom in the 18-team Big Ten, averaging 23.3 points per game.
With an entirely new offensive line, Michigan has been working to address issues up front. They made progress by gaining 301 rushing yards against Arkansas State—more than their total from the first two games combined against Fresno State and now-No. 1 Texas—but their passing game still needs improvement.
Warren outperformed Orji in the final weeks of training camp. His journey has been remarkable, beginning with his battle against leukemia in high school and navigating a pandemic that shortened his playing time. Warren joined Michigan as a walk-on, earned a scholarship, secured the QB2 position in 2022, and eventually started his first game in 2024.
Unfortunately for Warren, things did not unfold as he had hoped afterward. He recorded a touchdown-to-interception ratio of only 2:6 in his three starts. While he completed 48 of 72 passes (66.7%), he managed just 444 passing yards, averaging only 6.2 yards per attempt.
At times, inadequate pass protection contributed to Warren’s difficulties, particularly during the game against the Longhorns when he faced pressure on 41.7% of his dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. However, it was the turnovers that ultimately cost him his position.
“As I mentioned, I believed he was in a strong position, but Davis surpassed him in camp towards the end,” Moore stated about Orji on Monday. “I hope to see him take control and continue performing as he did in the first few weeks. I believe he will.”
“He’s had an excellent couple of weeks in practice, and so has Davis, but ultimately, performance in the game is what matters. I’m eager to see what Alex will do. He’s been here studying diligently over the past few days, as he always does, but you can tell he has intensified his efforts even more.”
Orji, a four-star recruit from Sachse, Texas, joined Michigan as the No. 390 overall prospect and the No. 12 athlete in the 2022 class. Last year, he offered a different dynamic at quarterback for the Wolverines, stepping in for J.J. McCarthy at times and accumulating 15 carries for 86 yards and a touchdown.
Riley added some humor when asked on Tuesday if there’s a quarterback on the USC roster who can mimic what Orji does for the Trojans’ scout team offense this week.
“Yeah, there’s an old quarterback from Muleshoe, Texas, who’s coming out of retirement,” Riley joked, referring to himself. “So we’ll see what he can do and if he still has his mobility.”
Riley added a touch of humor on Tuesday when asked if there was any quarterback on the USC roster capable of matching Orji’s role for the Trojans’ scout team offense this week.
“Sure, there’s an aging quarterback from Muleshoe, Texas, who’s planning to come out of retirement,” Riley joked, pointing to himself. “We’ll see what he can do and whether he still has the moves.”
“Not really, we have a few players we’re looking to utilize, but [Orji] is an exceptional athlete. I mentioned to some people last night that we recruited him a bit when he was in high school. I have a great deal of respect for him as both a player and an athlete, so we’ll make the most of the players we have.”
Despite Orji logging 17 offensive snaps over six games last season, according to PFF, he did not attempt any passes.
He has thrown just six passes this season, completing 3 of them for 15 yards and two touchdowns.
“You always have to consider that,” Riley said when asked about Orji’s passing ability. “You don’t play quarterback at this level without being capable of throwing the ball. It wouldn’t be realistic to think that if he plays the whole game, they would only run it 70 times and throw just once.
“You definitely need to consider it. He’s certainly skilled enough to make you pay for any mistakes.”
USC is heading to Ann Arbor this week, aiming for its second victory over a ranked opponent this season and its first win ever in Big Ten play.
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