The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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OCTOBER 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 29 still a lot of praying going on. There are no guarantees." Davis eventually rang the bell. His re- lease led to an amazing journey: the Ped- die School in New Jersey, and four game appearances that same fall; the wiping out of the reclassified athlete's senior season at Suffield Academy in Connecticut, due to the COVID pandemic; and an eventual preferred walk-on spot at Michigan. THE ULTIMATE TRIUMPH The Warrens were out dining two days prior to Michigan's 2024 opener with Fresno State. Davis Warren let his parents know: he'd be under center. "It was pure ela- tion," Jeff said. "Just so happy for Davis. It was so emotional. Lots of tears and joy. We're just so proud of him for the perseverance. I don't think any of us were surprised, be- cause of Davis' character and fortitude." Warren earning Michigan's starting quarterback job in 2024 and taking those first snaps under the lights against Fresno State seems right out of a storybook. The U-M quarterback isn't focused on that now, other than when prodded. He wants to win, and the Wolverines are all locked on the task of taking big strides forward amid an incredibly daunting schedule. Of course, daunting is a relative term. "It's hard to wake up and have a bad day at this point," Warren said. "It just reaffirmed my why, of why I do this and why I want to go out there every day and play at a high level, just having that men- tal makeup of nothing can really bother me, regardless of what happens, whether it's within a play, within a drive, within a week, whatever it is. Nothing can bring me down." Instead, he looks to bring others up. He's done so by example, but also very in- tentionally, according to U-M head coach Sherrone Moore. "I mean, talk about a fighter," Moore said. "Had leukemia, had cancer. Senior year was canceled because of COVID. Came here as a walk-on. He's been a third-string guy since he's been here. A backup. "Every week, the coaches do a test. He'd always do his test. He'd have 100 on his test. He'd always fill it out exactly right. He's always taking notes. He's al- ways doing the right thing. He's the first guy to come in the building and say, 'Hey Coach, there's a kid at Mott Children's Hospital that wants to come to practice. Can he come?' I'll be like, 'Yeah, don't ever ask me that again. Just bring him.' He's selfless, a phenomenal teammate. [Alex] Orji throws a touchdown, and he's running toward the end zone to celebrate. So, he's the ultimate team guy and the guy you want as your quarterback." He's also the guy you want if you're hurting. It's no coincidence that Warren audibles to Mott with regularity. "No doubt," Warren acknowledged. "Going through what I went through, it's something that I learned. When I first got healthy, I wanted nothing to do with the hospital, nothing to do with anything like that. I'd have to go for follow-up checkups, and I'd be like, 'Man, I don't want to be here. Bad vibes all around. Keep me out.' And I kind of avoided it at all costs. Didn't want to talk about it. Didn't want anyone to know. Couldn't wait for my hair to grow back, and for me to get some color back in my face, to make it look like I wasn't that kid. "But then as I got here and my story started getting out a little bit, I had peo- ple reaching out to me. A grandpa of a kid reached out to me on LinkedIn and asked me if I could send a video to his grandson, who was going through leu- kemia. That's something I realized pretty quickly, how much of a difference I could make in these kids' lives." Getting on the field enhanced War- ren's influence. "I got a lot of texts after the [Fresno State] game, and before the game," he said. "A lot of them were from families and kids who had gone through leu- kemia, or are going through it, just saying they were proud of me and that it meant a lot to their son or daugh- ter that I was able to be out there and show that cancer can be a part of your life, be a part of your story, but it doesn't have to de- fine who you are or who you want to be. Being able to go in there and show them that I've been through it, I have the scar on my arm, and I know how to press the button on the medicine pole that every- one gets — that's a really special con- nection. "It's hard to have that and see the look on some of those kids' faces when they realize I also went through it. Sometimes I have to show them a picture to have them really believe that it did happen. It's a really special thing, and it's something I'll keep doing as long as I can. It reaf- firms my why, and gives me great per- spective. Honestly, they inspire me even more than I inspire them. It reminds me of my journey, where I've been and where I want to go. It is really special." ❏ Teammates Know The Price Senior Max Bredeson fully appreciates classmate Davis Warren's journey to the starting quarterback spot at Michigan. He not only knew of the climb Warren made to even play college football, but the sacrifice once there. "It's incredible watching Davis," Bredeson said. "We came in the same year. We've been friends and roommates forever. There's not enough good things I can say about Davis, for how hard he's worked." Teammates witness it up close. "Everyone talks about the journey to be the starting quarterback, but the things no one else will get to see of what he's done to get here — it's incredible," Bredeson expanded. "The hours of watching film on his iPad at our house. The hours of watching film his freshman year in the dorm. None of us were going to play, and he still locked in. You'd think he was the starting quarterback. "He's been preparing for so long for this opportunity. It's really incredible." — John Borton ❱ Warren "It's hard to wake up and have a bad day at this point. It just reaffirmed my why, of why I do this and why I want to go out there every day and play at a high level, just having that mental makeup of nothing can really bother me, regardless of what happens, whether it's within a play, within a drive, within a week, whatever it is. Nothing can bring me down."