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Michigan is no stranger to an August and September quarterback battle. In 2022, the program didn’t fully settle on its QB1 until Week 3 while J.J. McCarthy and Cade McNamara competed for the starting job, alternating starts.
But the Wolverines’ 2024 quarterback battle is different.
Redshirt sophomore Alex Orji, the team’s presumed starter, hasn’t fully separated from his surprising competition: Former walk-on QB Davis Warren.
It’d be wrong to term Orji as anything but the heavy favorite — 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, went more in-depth on the competition here — but it’s worth considering how Michigan got here in the first place.
Where Michigan’s QB battle currently stands
The Wolverines are the reigning national champions, recruit at an elite level and presumably have their pick of QBs in the transfer portal era. How did they end up in a situation where their starting quarterback job is undecided five days before kickoff?
It’s a combination of factors, ranging from Jim Harbaugh’s late NFL decision to injuries and Orji’s development curve.
There’s been a real belief in Orji throughout the Michigan program this offseason. But some fall camp hiccups and have left the door open. Though Orji has had very strong moments, there have been bouts of inconsistency — and here’s where we mention that Orji has one career passing attempt!
Still, Michigan believes in what Orji can be. His improvement in the winter and spring is a reason they didn’t pursue a transfer quarterback. Orji showed real flashes at that point on the calendar and emerged as a real leader in the locker room.
He also gives Michigan’s offense an interesting wrinkle with his athletic ability. Orji, who ranked as Bruce Feldman’s No. 13 freak on his 2024 list,…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/what-led-to-michigans-surprising-qb-battle-between-alex-orji-former-walk-on-davis-warren/
Author : Chris Hummer
Publish date : 2024-08-27 17:55:57
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