Sherrone Moore quick-hitters: Alex Orji, center battle, USC standouts, more

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football head coach Sherrone Moore met with the media Monday afternoon ahead of his team’s game against USC. Here are bullet points on the most noteworthy things he said.

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Sherrone Moore quick-hitters

• Moore named junior Alex Orji the starting quarterback for this week right off the bat. He will replace senior Davis Warren, who opened the first three outings but has thrown 6 interceptions.

• When asked what the staff was waiting to see out of Orji when he didn’t originally win the job, Moore said it was for him to perform the way he did the first two weeks of fall camp. Warren out-played him in the back half of camp and won the job.

• The comparison between Michigan graduate running back Kalel Mullings and former running back Hassan Haskins is apt, Moore said. It’s one he made all of last season, in fact. Mullings ran for a career-high 153 yards against Arkansas State, and Moore called that “unbelievable.”

• Warren has maintained a positive attitude despite being benched last game and replaced as the starting quarterback. Moore said he will continue to uplift Warren as he does with every player on the team. Moore pointed out that Warren was the first to congratulate Orji after his touchdown pass against the Red Wolves.

• “I guess you’ll have to see” was Moore’s response as he smiled to how similar or different the Michigan offense is with Orji in charge.

• Moore lauded Orji’s “great arm strength” and said his accuracy has improved “tremendously.”

• Moore said Michigan already has the entire offense with Orji behind center installed.

• Senior Dominick Giudice graded out better than classmate Greg Crippen at center, but the latter made some “tremendous plays.” Moore said the competition will continue, and that it’s occurring at every position on the offensive line.

• No update on Michigan junior tight end Colston Loveland, who left Saturday’s game early with an apparent left arm or shoulder injury. Moore said he will defer to what the doctors say. He declined to answer if Loveland will practice this week. He said junior Marlin Klein had his best game against Arkansas State and that freshman Hogan Hansen has made plays no matter what group he’s with (starters, backups, etc.).

• Moore pointed out that USC got “bigger” on defense, and that new coordinator D’Anton Lynn has brought his defensive back ground to the group. Moore said he has a lot of respect for head coach Lincoln Riley.

• Moore and Riley both spent time with former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops (Moore as a player, Riley as an assistant coach), but they didn’t cross paths there. They have met since then, though, and share a mutual respect.

• Michigan senior defensive tackle Ike Iwunnah broke out with his first career tackle for loss against Arkansas State. Moore said Iwunnah is “my guy.” He spent three seasons on the scout team but started to make plays this fall camp. Moore said he did a double take and asked himself, “Is that Ike making plays?” He’s happy for his development.

• USC quarterback Miller Moss is a “really good football player, man.” He’s accurate, takes care of the football and plays well within the system, per Moore. He’s “not a runner” but has good arm strength and distributes the ball well.

• The players standing out to Moore on USC are Moss, the offensive line, wide receiver Zachariah Branch, who’s “explosive,” and defensive end Anthony Lucas, a “game-wrecker.”

• When asked if graduate Jack Tuttle is an option for Michigan at quarterback, Moore said, “we’ll see some more this week about how the healing process is going.” He will defer to doctors’ opinions.

• Freshman quarterback Jadyn Davis hasn’t played in games yet, but Moore said he hasn’t had any conversations with him about redshirting. They are “keeping it open.”

• Junior Andrew Gentry played 14 offensive snaps as an extra lineman on Saturday, and Moore said he was “not bad and played good” but still had “some things to clean up.” He mentioned that graduate wideout C.J. Charleston was stellar blocking — “he was knocking people’s heads off” — and will make plays in the pass game going forward.