All offseason long, Michigan football kept its quarterback battle tight to the chest.

U-M coaches didn’t want to give away who would win the starting job headed into the season, senior Davis Warren or junior Alex Orji, and appeared to instruct players to keep the decision internal as long as possible.

That decision, picking Warren, lasted three weeks. The senior from Los Angeles was benched in the third quarter of last week's game against Arkansas State after he threw his third interception of the game.

It was the sixth in just 11 quarters for Warren and ultimately head coach Sherrone Moore opted to bench him for Orji.

Many expected Moore to stick to his usual refrain Monday — those who practice the best will play — but that’s not what happened.

Instead, Moore, in the first month of his coaching tenure, announced the offense would make a switch and go with Orji on Saturday in the Big Ten opener for Michigan (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) against a conference newcomer, No. 12 USC (2-0, 0-0).

Moore explained why he made such a declarative statement in advance of what could be a tipping point in the Wolverines’ 2024 season, speaking on WXYT-FM (97.1) on Wednesday morning with Jim Costa and co-host and Wolverines radio color commentator Jon Jansen.

“For us, the players to see me announce it to everybody else, (and) understand the confidence I have in Alex,” Moore said. “I think it was important I did that. I just think it was an important thing for us to do as a program.”

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Moore said turnovers instigated the change, noting that as long as he has been in Ann Arbor, the No. 1 job offensive coaches have given quarterbacks is to take care of the ball. Orji, he said, did that when he entered in relief of Warren in the second half vs. Arkansas State and orchestrated a nine-play, 80-yard drive that featured eight run calls and one pass.

Orji, named the most athletic quarterback in college football on The Athletic's "freak list" this offseason, is seen as incredibly talented as a runner but limited as a passer. He has completed four of seven passes for 20 yards in his Michigan career — two of those completions (both this season) have gone for touchdowns.

As a runner, Orji has 31 carries for 181 yards — an average of 5.8 yards per rush — and three TDs.

When pressed on Orji's ability to pass downfield, Moore said he feels "confident" he can do it, but added it's about executing the play and putting his team in position to be successful.

"Obviously, great offenses ... the ones that score points and move the football do things to their players' strengths," Moore said. "We're going to do everything we can to optimize Alex's strengths along with the guys around him. We have a plan developed that we've had in place for Alex, so we're excited."

USC head coach Lincoln Riley was asked about U-M naming a starting QB so early in the week, and though he said he's not going to "sit here and guess," Riley said he understands the thinking.

USC has seemingly had different players simulating Orji on scout team in practice, and that includes throwing the ball.

"I mean, you don’t play quarterback at this level without being able to throw the ball some," Riley told reporters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, following the Trojans' bye in Week 3. "So, yeah, I mean, to sit there and think if he plays the entire game, that they’re going to run it 70 times and throw it one time or something like that. I don’t think that’s going to be the case.

"You definitely have to account for it, because he’s certainly going throw it and make you pay."

Orji, who Moore called "pound-for-pound as strong as anybody on our team," has been working for this opportunity since he arrived as part of the 2022 recruiting class. It certainly isn't the easiest of circumstances, however, for a first career start.

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USC's defense ranks top-20 in scoring (allowing just 10 points per game, and Orji could be without two of his top options in the receiving game. Wide receiver Tyler Morris missed Week 3 with an undisclosed injury, and standout tight end Colston Loveland exited Saturday's game early with an injury.

Moore didn't comment on Loveland's status Wednesday, instead saying they have not ruled him out and "that's for the doctors to figure out." No matter who the Wolverines have out there, Moore projected confidence in his new quarterback to not just move the ball on the ground, but through the air.

"He can throw the ball," Moore said. "He's just got to go out there and prove it."

Tony Garcia is the Michigan Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X @RealTonyGarcia.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why Michigan football publicly announced Alex Orji as starting QB