Davis Warren Faced Being Benched with the Same Attitude He Used Battling Cancer

Michigan QB, who once threw footballs to his father between chemo treatments, doesn't know the meaning of the word quit. He discusses how Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff has long supported him.

Photo Courtesy of University of Michigan Photography

Michigan quarterback Davis Warren sets before firing a pass in Saturday’s 50-6 win over Northwestern. He threw for 195 yards and one touchdown.

By Steve Kornacki

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan quarterback Davis Warren might not be an All-American or even all-conference. He isn’t going to set any records, but he’s done two things that are so admirable.

First, after getting benched for throwing six interceptions with only two touchdown passes in his first three starts, Warren made the most of another starting opportunity after quarterbacks Alex Orji and Jack Tuttle also struggled.

Warren has improved with every game, and that included Saturday’s 50-6 win here over Northwestern when he completed 26-of-35 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown.

However, the main thing Warren has done that can’t be understated is overcoming acute myeloid leukemia while at Loyola High in Los Angeles and continuing to give back to pediatric cancer patients at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital while remembering all who helped him overcome the fears of facing mortality.

Ed Kengerski of the University of Michigan television productions staff asked Warren last week a simple question that provided a truly wonderful story to savor.

When asked why he wears No. 16, Warren said it was because of Detroit Lions standout quarterback Jared Goff, who befriended him when he was the quarterback of the Los Angeles Rams and Warren was undergoing two rounds of chemotherapy treatments that took several weeks.

“He texted me last week after [the Lions’] Texans game,” Warren said of Goff after the game. “They beat the Jaguars [52-6] the next week. So, maybe he should text me every week. That might help him out a little bit. Just that relationship is huge for me. He was there for me when I needed someone to be there for me when I was going through my treatment, and that relationship just kind of grew through working with the same trainers.

“And, by the luck of the draw, we both go from Southern California to the Detroit area, and it’s so cool watching him and seeing him. When I was thrown back into the lineup, I started checking out a lot of his throws – throwing to the running back and understanding. And him talking about it – how you’ve got to be a ‘point guard.’ We can’t move the ball as an offense until I get the ball out of my hand, either handing it off or throwing it to a receiver. So, that’s huge.”

Warren threw 10 passes for 57 yards to running backs against Northwestern, and distributed the ball in a manner similar to what Goff does – taking what’s given him rather than forcing downfield throws when they aren’t there.

The Michigan quarterback continued, “Like every offseason, we see each other, and I just ask him how he deals with the cold and cold-weather games, and stuff like that, little things. It’s been really cool. I look forward to watching him tomorrow.”

Goff and the Lions play Sunday at Indianapolis against the Colts,

Goff, who also sent Warren an encouragement video while he was undergoing chemo, told Kengerski: “I was out throwing with him years ago. We threw with the same trainer. I said, ‘Who’s that?’ I’ve texted back and forth with him. It’s fun that we’re both in the same state now representing the teams that we do. And I’m rooting for him. He’s a good kid and I root for him.”

Warren is 4-3 as a starter – with all three losses to Top 10 teams Texas, Oregon and Indiana – and led Michigan to an overwhelming win over Northwestern in his last game at the Big House.

He started slow, but got on a roll after a 20-yard completion to Fredrick Moore on third-and-10 on the final drive of the first half. Then Warren made it 17-6 with a 3-yard touchdown pass to electric tight end Colston Loveland on third-and-goal with eight seconds remaining before halftime.

“It was huge,” said Warren. “It just set the tempo going into halftime.”

It was 33-0 for Michigan in the second half, and it surpassed the previous scoring high this season in a 30-10 win over Fresno State in the opening game.

Warren had a 28-yard hookup with Tyler Morris in the second half, and overcame the one poor execution of the game with an overthrow that produced his first interception in four games.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder from Manhattan Beach, Calif., had quite a turnaround this season.

When his parents, Jeff and Terri Warren, were introduced to the Michigan Stadium crowd as they walked out of the Lloyd Carr Tunnel with other parents and family members on Senior Day, they received one of the loudest rounds of applause from the 109,830 attending.

How special must that have been for the loving parents who were with him every step of the way? Davis has recalled throwing footballs with his father in the small garden area outside the hospital between chemo treatments. And this Thursday, like every Thursday, Davis visited Mott to encourage kids facing what he faced, and filming videos for others.

What an inspiration he’s been.

And somehow, some way, his dreams came true after his trainer in Los Angeles connected with Wolverine assistant coaches Josh Gattis, Grant Newsome and Steve Casula. They had then Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh contact Warren, and Harbaugh got him to walk on.

Warren was deep on the depth chart with Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy starting, but got his rhythm back as the scout team quarterback. He portrayed the upcoming opposing signal caller in practices against the starting defense that included standouts such as another current Lions star, Aidan Hutchinson.

It’s all come together for him down the stretch this season.

Warren’s stats over the last four games: 68-for-109 (.624) for 550 yards with four touchdown passes and one interception.

I asked Wolverine coach Sherrone Moore what was most responsible for Warren’s recent success, and he said, “Just, what a selfless guy first. Because when you’re the starter and you get benched, you can easily have a selfish, negative attitude. And he was the complete opposite. He was an outstanding teammate.

“And he’s just a tireless worker, and his process has never changed, and he’s continued to get better, and be a great example of what you want. For a kid who’s been through something and so much in his life, he’s just a great example for me, a great example for our team. Just because you get knocked down or put in a position, it doesn’t mean you stop working. And he’s been outstanding for us.”

Warren has thrown for 1,064 yards this season in seven starts. Not bad. And his teammates, after every game, make unsolicited comments about how much he means to them.

This was a game that made the Wolverines (6-5) bowl eligible and featured feel-good aspects such as fellow seniors Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards rekindling the running game behind a strong O-line and the defense dominating once again with Josaiah Stewart making two of the six sacks. And, hey, senior tailback Tavierre Dunlap, scored his first career touchdown on a 20-yard run on his final carry.

There were plenty of feel-good stories on this day.

But none were better than Warren’s.

He sets the bar high.