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Sherrone Moore explains why Michigan played Alex Orji over Jadyn Davis in bowl game

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Matt Lounsberry | Last updated Jan 11, 2025 12:37 PM ET

After a tumultuous season at quarterback, Michigan football was hit by one final set of adversity at the game's most important position when starting QB Davis Warren went down with an injury during the Wolverines' ReliaQuest Bowl game vs. No. 11 Alabama.

That left head coach Sherrone Moore with a choice: play the more experienced guy who had already entered the transfer portal in redshirt sophomore Alex Orji, or the freshman and former four-star prospect Jadyn Davis.

Ultimately, Moore chose the former.

"Orji came in and handled it well, just continued to — we just felt like the way the game was going, our defense was holding them up, that we needed to possess the ball," Moore told reporters after the game, a 19-13 victory for the Wolverines. "I think we had 38 minutes time of possession, so that's what we wanted to do, and executed that at a high level."

It was far from a banner day for Michigan's offense, which totaled just 190 yards against the Crimson Tide. The Wolverines struggled to throw the ball throughout the season, and that was evident in the bowl game as well with only 75 passing yards vs. Alabama. Warren was responsible for 73 of those yards, while Orji went just 2-for-3 for two yards through the air.

With his offense struggling to move the ball with Orji behind center, was there any thought in Moore's mind to turn to Davis at quarterback? Evidently not...

"Orji practiced really well throughout the bowl prep, and I thought the best chance to win was having him in the game, the threat of his legs, so that's what we did at the time," the head coach said.

With the season concluded, Michigan turns its attention to 2025 and has already began working to address its need at quarterback for next season. The Wolverines added five-star prospect Bryce Underwood and Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene this offseason. Warren and Davis will return for spring practice, while Orji has began taking visits to other programs, including Temple and UNLV.

This article first appeared on Michigan Wolverines on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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