Breaking down how Michigan should handle uncertain QB battle exiting spring

The Michigan Wolverines have been stable at quarterback in recent years thanks to J.J. McCarthy. However, he’s onto the NFL now and that means new head coach Sherrone Moore needs to find a way to replace him in an uncertain QB battle.

Now exiting spring practice, Andy Staples broke down on Andy Staples On3 how Michigan should handle that battle and where the team’s quarterback room currently stands.

“Had their spring game on a cold, cold day in Ann Arbor,” Staples said. “Tough throwing conditions, a lot of wind. Davis Warren and Alex Orji are your guys that appear to be fighting it out for the job. They’ve also got Jack Tuttle, who was the backup last year. He transferred from Indiana. He was hurt. So, he may enter the fray in Fall practice. Jadyn Davis and Jadyen Denegal, they seem like they’re further back on the depth chart. Jadyn Davis is the true freshman who just came in this year.”

Alex Orji came to Michigan in the Class of 2022 as a four-star recruit and the 391st-ranked player nationally, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He’s played in nine games over two seasons, carrying the ball 21 times for 123 yards and three touchdowns. However, he’s only thrown the ball once.

Meanwhile, Davis Warren came to Michigan in the Class of 2020, as an unranked recruit. He’s played in eight games during his time in Ann Arbor, completing 35.7 percent of passes on 14 attempts. Warren also has 89 yards and an interception.

“So, what we saw was Davis Warren looked like the more polished passer. Alex Orji, we’ve told you multiple times is the best athlete on Michigan’s team, and that’s not a slight to Donovan Edwards or Will Johnson, who are incredible players. All of the Michigan players say that Alex Orji is the best freakish athlete on the team. So, we don’t know where that’s gonna go.”

Staples on adding a quarterback in the Transfer Portal

Coming into the offseason, it seemed like Michigan was going to add a quarterback through the Transfer Portal. Now, that seems much less likely.

“We’ve talked, and remember we talked to Chris Balas and Clayton Sayfie from The Wolverine a couple months ago, and coming off Michigan’s season last year their thought was Michigan’s starting quarterback wasn’t necessarily on the roster. That maybe somebody they’d get out of the portal. Well, Kirk Campbell, their offensive coordinator, said after the game that that doesn’t feel like it’s what’s gonna happen, ‘It’s not part of our thought process right now. Roster evaluation is always part of our thought process, but right now it’s not something that we’re looking at,'” Staples said.

“Now, of course you’re going to say that because you don’t want your current quarterbacks to enter the portal, unless you do, but if you don’t know who you’ve got or who you really want to start, you don’t want to blow up that room right now. So, you want to make sure that Warren, Orji, and Tuttle, and Jadyn Davis, especially because you just signed him, are still there in the Fall. So, you’ve got to be very careful about what you do.”

One key, however, that Staples pointed out is that this Michigan team will rely on its offensive line and running game, making the quarterback somewhat less important.

“What’s interesting watching the Michigan spring game and there were some key offensive linemen who didn’t play, but they’re gonna be able to move the ball on the ground. I can tell you that right now. No matter who plays quarterback, that team is gonna be able to move the ball on the ground. So, I think it takes some pressure off that decision.”

Another key issue with adding through the portal is that there simply may not be a good enough quarterback currently available.

“Also, the person you would think is quality capable of starting at Michigan is not in the portal. So, yeah you could have the behind the scenes, tampering stuff. That’s about the only way this is gonna work because I don’t think there’s a guy sitting there right now who you’d say we’ll grab him, plug him in, and he starts. I don’t think that person is there. So, Michigan is in an interesting situation because it probably winds up being somebody on the roster.”

Where does that leave the Michigan QB battle?

Assuming the five quarterbacks that Staples listed are the five that Michigan takes into the Fall, Sherrone Moore is going to need to decide what style of quarterback to lean on or even about potentially using a two-quarterback system.

“Davis Warren looked good throwing the ball. Now, it’s the spring game. So, we don’t know. Alex Orji probably gives them another dimension. Kirk Campbell got asked about a two-quarterback system. I don’t know that that’s necessarily where you want to go, but you could theoretically do that Chris Leak–Tim Tebow-type system where Davis Warren is in on most of your standard downs. Alex Orji comes in on a defined package for him where you’re basically running the single wing because I think given Alex Orji’s athleticism, his speed, his size if you’re running read option with that dude, that’s a scary prospect for the defense whether they know it’s coming or not,” Staples said.

“So, it is possible to have a package for that and not be telegraphing everything because I don’t know if it matters. People may have trouble stopping that, but we will find out fairly early. Remember, Michigan and Texas play very early in the season.”

Michigan starts its 2024 season against Fresno State before that game against Texas that is going to be a major test.