Davis Warren is the best option at quarterback
Michigan's quarterback play has been the talk of the 2024 season — and not in a good way. After trying out Davis Warren, Alex Orji and Jack Tuttle in the first seven games of the season, Sherrone Moore made the move back to Warren for Saturday's rivalry matchup.
In his first three games as signal caller, Warren completed 48 of his 72 pass attempts for 444 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions. The six interceptions in just over 10 quarters of football were ultimately the reason Warren was benched in favor of Orji.
On Saturday night, in a high-stakes rivalry game, Warren was able to do what he hadn't done during his reign as starter earlier in the season: protect the football.
The offense didn’t always look pretty, and Warren only accounted for one touchdown, but he managed the offense well and was, overall, fairly efficient with his passes. He finished the game 13-19 for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Going forward, the quarterback carousel needs to stop. Michigan isn’t playing for anything meaningful anymore, but it can at least look like a respectable team with a smart coaching staff by starting Warren through the ups and downs the rest of the season — even if it means mixing in Alex Orji from time to time like it did on Saturday night.
Impressively, Michigan overcomes abysmal first quarter
The first quarter could not have gone worse for Michigan. Michigan State thoroughly dominated in just about every statistical metric. In total yards, the Spartans led, 135-1, MSU led in total plays, 22-3, and Jonathan Smith’s team held the ball for more than 13 minutes in the quarter.
Somehow, even though it was embarrassed in every way in the first 15 minutes, Michigan only trailed by seven points. Michigan State kicker Jonathan Kim did do the Wolverines a favor by missing a field goal on the opening possession of the game, but it seemed Michigan had not made any strides since falling to Illinois in Champaign.
But late in the second quarter, the Michigan offense finally got rolling. Warren led the Wolverines on a 10-play, 64-yard drive that concluded with a 10-yard pass from Warren to Colston Loveland in the corner of the end zone.
On the ensuing possession, Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles was stripped by Josaiah Stewart, giving Michigan the ball in plus territory late in the first half. The Wolverines ran one play from scrimmage before utilizing Dominic Zvada for a field goal to take a 9-7 lead into halftime.
The momentum carried over into the second half, when Michigan outscored the Spartans, 15-10.
Bowl game still in play
There was a very real chance that, had Michigan not beaten the Spartans on Saturday night, the Wolverines would have missed a bowl game just one season after winning the national championship.
The 2024 season is still likely to be a total failure, but Sherrone Moore being able to get Michigan to a bowl game — however obscure it may be — would be something for Michigan fans to be happy about in what has been a disappointing season.
Northwestern is the most likely victory remaining on the schedule, but the Wolverines will have plenty of opportunities to pull out an upset victory late in this 2024 season.
Michigan will welcome No. 1 Oregon to the Big House next Saturday, and it will follow it up with a trip to Bloomington, Indiana, to take on currently undefeated Indiana. And, of course, Michigan will take on Ohio State in Columbus to end the regular season.
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