Tag: Alex Orji

Michigan football EDGE Josaiah Stewart on Alex Orji: ‘He can throw’

Uh oh, Happy learned to putt! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — In most of the offseason discourse surrounding Michigan football’s quarterback competition in spring ball, when it comes to presumed favorite Alex Orji, he’s spoken about in terms of his escapability and running ability — but not his arm.

It makes sense. Orji didn’t complete any passes in 2023, yet was used primarily as a wildcat option in his many appearances. The most recent pass we’ve seen Orji complete was a deep shot to Semaj Morgan in last year’s spring game, but nothing since.

But edge rusher Josaiah Stewart is here to tell you: don’t doubt his arm.

On Tuesday, Stewart discussed spring ball at-large, but when WolverinesWire asked about Orji in particular, he set the record straight: he’s more than just a running back out there.

“Orji, obviously, he has great legs, he can escape the pocket. But believe it or not, he can throw,” Stewart said. “People who might not believe that — social media and whatnot saying that he can’t throw. But he can throw and I’ve seen him throw dot down the field. And it’s worse when you just, just almost get there and he gets the ball off and it’s a touchdown.

“So he’s good at doing that. He’s good at escaping and getting the ball downfield.”

In spring ball, Orji does have stiff competition, facing off against Jayden Denegal, Davis Warren, and highly-touted freshman Jadyn Davis. Jack Tuttle, who returns for a seventh year, has been limited due to injury.

At the moment, there’s no clear winner and it doesn’t appear to be one coming soon. But Orji appears to have the inside track due to his skill set, and if he is accurate downfield, certainly, that poses a threat to opposing defenses given his running ability.

The Michigan football QB that’s impressing DT Mason Graham

He’s going to be a handful for opposing defenses. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — There are a lot of open spots for Michigan football this spring, but none are more high profile than that of the quarterback position.

Vacated by J.J. McCarthy who entered the NFL draft with a year of eligibility remaining, the Wolverines don’t have an heir apparent to the former five-star, but they have multiple candidates who are vying for the role of starter. Among the top contenders is junior signal caller Alex Orji.

On Monday, Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham was asked which quarterback has particularly impressed him a week into spring ball and he noted that Orji, thanks to his ability to scramble or outright run, has really gotten his attention in practice.

“I’d probably say — I mean they’re all doing a good job — but Alex Orji can make plays with his legs,” Graham said. “So he’s a really big threat when it comes to that. He keeps us on edge. You don’t know what he’s doing, even when he doesn’t have the ball because he’s a weapon. Creates opportunities.

“I feel like everyone’s playing really good, presenting challenges throughout the spring so far. So, good competition.”

What is it about Orji’s ability to move the pocket and take off running that’s impressed Graham the most? Well, it’s the fact that he’s never quite sure what he might do on any given play.

In a game, Graham says, that presents challenges to any defensive line. Because a more stoic, pocket-passer is a bit more dead-to-rights, whereas a player like Orji keeps rushing linemen on their toes a bit more. And that can weigh on them.

“Especially from a defensive lineman standpoint, you’re rushing the quarterback and when a quarterback’s not very mobile or can’t move as well, you’re more confident in what you’re doing and you can do,” Graham said. “But when there’s somebody back there that can just run at any given time and you’ve gotta chase him down, it’s in the back of your mind throughout the game.”

Fans will get a chance to see Orji and the other quarterbacks in action in the annual spring game, which takes place on April 20 at noon at The Big House. The spring game will be broadcast nationally on Fox.

247Sports analyst shares lofty ideal for potential Michigan football starting QB

If this is true, the offense will remain dangerous! #GoBlue

It’s been awhile since Clint Brewster covered Michigan football directly for 247Sports, but the analyst and former Minnesota and Tennessee Tech quarterback has remained plugged in.

Brewster covered the Wolverines remotely for a few seasons until 2015 for what was then Wolverine247 and now is a national analyst for 247Sports. And in one of his conversations, he’s hearing big things about one of the contenders for starting QB in 2024.

That quarterback is Alex Orji, who appeared in six games last year and did not attempt a pass. Instead, he ran 15 times for 86 yards and a touchdown — 5.73 yards per carry and fifth overall on the team in 2023. In his college career, Orji has only thrown one pass, which he completed for five yards. Yet, the junior-to-be has impressed someone in Ann Arbor, so much that they told Brewster that Orji will be just like Alabama standout Jalen Milroe, but perhaps better at throwing the ball.

We’ll see, of course. As many commenters noted, Joe Milton often received Cam Newton comparisons, but many of those were from outside the program, including Urban Meyer and Matt Leinart.

Orji did mimic Milroe in preparation for the Rose Bowl, so Michigan has gotten something of a look at him playing that style of ball. Of course, he’ll have to win the starting job in order to be put in that position — not an easy task with Jack Tuttle returning for a seventh year, and Jayden Denegal also likely challenging him this offseason.

Jim Harbaugh might’ve given Alabama fuel by comparing Jalen Milroe to Michigan’s backup QB

Might be a poor choice of words here for Jim Harbaugh.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh either just gave his backup quarterback Alex Orji quite a compliment or inadvertently gave Alabama some fuel for game day once the two teams face off in Monday’s Rose Bowl.

While talking about Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, he said that the Crimson Tide starter is a more polished version of his backup quarterback, sophomore Alex Orji.

Harbaugh seemed to be trying to pay both Orji and Milroe compliments. But it’s going to be very easy for Alabama to make this bulletin board material by seeing Harbaugh compare Milroe to his team’s backup.

We’re really not sure Harbaugh meant anything by this, but it might still be a poor choice of words all the same.

We’ll see if Alabama can hand Michigan its first loss of the season and knock it out of national championship contention and if Harbaugh’s attempt to make a comparison between one player and the other might end up backfiring a bit.

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RGIII recreates audio playcall of late Michigan football TD

This is too good! #GoBlue

When Michigan football backup quarterback Alex Orji returned to action after missing several games due to injury, it was assured that the Wolverines would find a way to get him involved in a game. And it also made sense that one of his biggest fans would get involved in a different, more creative way.

Former Baylor, Heisman-winning quarterback and ESPN color commentator Robert Griffin III made waves on a playcall last year when he called a Michigan game. When Orji scored a touchdown, he exclaimed, ‘There’s an Orji in the endzone!’ Considering NBC was on the call on Saturday and not ESPN (which no longer has Big Ten rights) Griffin took it upon himself to make the call.

And he did not disappoint.

Watch below:

Michigan football looking for ways to get athletic freak Alex Orji on the field

Eyeball emojis. All of them! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Perhaps one of the most tantalizing concepts that was teased in fall camp was when it was learned that Michigan football is working quarterback Alex Orji out as a kick returner. A sophomore who stands at 6-foot-3, 236 pounds, Orji more resembles a linebacker than a quarterback.

On Wednesday, his position coach, Kirk Campbell, said that it’s no surprise that Orji is adept at returning kicks, because he has tools that you just cannot teach. Though the Wolverines have four players on The Athletic’s annual ‘freaks’ list, Campbell says that Orji will be on there before he departs Ann Arbor.

“Alex is obviously a physical specimen, right?” Campbell said. “If he’s not going to be the No. 1 freak in the country on that list by the time he is a senior, I’ll be surprised.”

While Orji is working at backup quarterback — a position that’s still being determined by the so-called ‘Michigan Method,’ where they’re continuing to work out who has what role on the depth chart by playing in games — Campbell says that it’s important that they find different ways to get him on playing time, regardless of the position.

If kick returner is it, then that will be one option. If it’s quarterback, that’s another. But it appears as if there are more options that the coaching staff is exploring with the enigmatic, physical talent.

“We’ve really refined his throwing motion,” Campbell said. “Like the kid has developed so much, so getting him a spot on the field as one of our best 11 is something that we’re continuously going to look at.”

Orji did not play in the season opener against East Carolina in Week 1. But perhaps he will be available in Week 2 when Michigan football hosts UNLV at The Big House. Kickoff will be at 3:30 p.m. and the game will be nationally broadcast on CBS.

Jim Harbaugh says surprising player could be ‘greatest kick returner of all time’

This would be wild! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — With A.J. Henning and Ronnie Bell no longer Michigan Wolverines, Michigan football is in the market for a new kick returner in 2023. Naturally, that means the maize and blue are trying out multiple options in fall camp, many of whom are established, enigmatic athletes.

On Tuesday, Jim Harbaugh ran through the options, and some surprising names were mentioned.

“Right now that’s a good competition,” Harbaugh said. “Mike Sainristil, Kalel Mullings, Donovan Edwards has been really good in punt return. Jake Thaw — right there at the top. Keshaun Harris, Karmello English, Tyler Morris.

“Kick returner: Kalel, Roman Wilson, Eamonn Dennis could be extremely, extremely good.”

While seeing Donovan Edwards returning kicks or punts would be interesting — and it’s a role he would likely thrive in — there was no name more particularly intriguing than Alex Orji.

Entering his second year in the program, Orji is a backup quarterback, but he’s built like a linebacker. Harbaugh mentioned him as a unique option, provided the blocking gets better from those around him.

“Also a secret plan for Alex Orji,” Harbaugh said. “Got a chance to be maybe one of the greatest kick returners of all time. Big 230-235 pound guy, so he just started doing it, we’ll see how it goes. He’s also excelling at quarterback. So there’ll be some decisions that have to be made. We have to improve in our kickoff return blocking before I would agree to have Alex Orji returning the kick.”

Orji is interesting. The 237-pounder just made Bruce Feldman’s “freaks list” at No. 50 overall. Via The Athletic: ($)

The 6-3, 237-pound sophomore quarterback ranks No. 1 on the team in its cumulative KPI score, which is made up of 48 Key Performance Indicators they use to track frame analysis: flexibility/mobility; strength/power; and agility/speed. Orji vertical-jumped 41 inches and did 2.34 in the reactive plyo stairs; broad-jumped 10-6; and did 3.97 in the shuttle and 6.65 in the 3-cone. On the field, the Texas native ran for two touchdowns and completed one pass in mop-up duty in 2022.

Harbaugh also noted another similar player who could contribute, but he appears particularly tantalized by the quarterback’s potential.

Again, however, it depends less on Orji and more on the players around him.

“So there’s a bit of a challenge there going on. It’s made for quite a bit of excitement and enthusiasm that your kickoff return blockers have seen what Alex can do as a kick returner,” Harbaugh said. “But the challenge is on them to get better at their fundamentals and their techniques and give him a chance to because if he can if we can make it happen, it’d be really special.

“But I mean Kalel Mullings is very similar in that role. But yeah, there’s some excitement there.”

Fans may (key word may) get an opportunity to see Orji return kicks as soon as the Sept. 2 season opener, which will kick off at noon EDT at The Big House. The game will be available via streaming on Peacock.

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Four Michigan football players make annual ‘freaks list’

The Wolverines have a lot of talent, no doubt! #GoBlue

The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman has published his annual ‘freaks list’ ($) and while Michigan football doesn’t have a player on top as it did last year in Mazi Smith, one of his closest teammates isn’t too far behind as a new inclusion.

In fact, Michigan football has more players on the list this year than in the past, with four drawing Feldman’s eye.

The highest rated is a player who is essentially called a freak internally in Ann Arbor — the man who they call ‘the mutant.’

6. Kris Jenkins, Michigan, defensive tackle

The Wolverines defensive line under Jim Harbaugh and strength coach Ben Herbert has been a gold mine for the Freaks List, and Jenkins is next in line. The former three-star recruit, the son of former NFL star Kris Jenkins, arrived in Ann Arbor at 257 pounds, and he played last season in the mid-280s. He made 54 tackles, 3.5 TFLs and had 20 QB pressures. According to PFF, he led all defensive linemen in the country in run stops. But people inside the Michigan program think he’s now ready to take a huge step forward as an impact guy. He’s up to 307 pounds and is more powerful and explosive than ever. He did 32 reps of 225 on the bench and did 760 pounds on the combo twist. Only last year’s top Freak, Mazi Smith, some 30 pounds heavier, did more slinging around 800 pounds.

Jenkins recently did a Turkish get-up with a 170-pound dumbbell — the heaviest Herbert has ever witnessed. Jenkins does pull-ups with a 100-pound weight strapped to his waist. He also moves incredibly well for being a 300-plus pounder, running a 7.16 3-cone, a 4.33 shuttle, broad-jumping 9-8 and vertical-jumping 34 inches.

Jenkins’ shuttle and 3-cone times are both almost two-tenths of a second faster than the quickest interior defensive lineman did at this year’s NFL combine. His broad jump would be tied for the best. His vertical jump would be second-best, and only Smith topped his number on the bench press.

“He’s the mutant of all mutants,” Harbaugh tells The Athletic. “He just keeps going and going. He’s No. 1 in our KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). He’s over 300. He’s the poster child for enthusiasm unknown to mankind. Watch him become a top-10 pick.”

‘The Mutant’ is one freak, but there’s another who gets similar hype internally — ‘The Unicorn.’

12. Amorion Walker, Michigan, cornerback

A former three-star recruit from Louisiana, Walker played five games at wideout and one at defensive back as a true freshman in 2022, but he’s made an eye-catching transformation since arriving at Michigan at 156 pounds. Now, he’s 6-3 1/4, 180 pounds and has crazy athleticism. This offseason he blazed through the 3-cone drill in a stunning 6.10 seconds.

“It’s the fastest time I have ever seen and likely the fastest I will ever see,” strength coach Ben Herbert says. That time is almost a full half-second faster than the fastest time recorded at the combine last spring (Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s 6.57). It would also blow away the combine record of 6.42 set 12 years ago by Oregon’s Jeff Maehl.

Walker’s 3.89 shuttle would’ve been tops at the combine as well. Smith-Njigba ran a 3.93 with Brandin Cooks’ 3.81 in 2014 the record. And there’s more: Walker vertical-jumped 42 1/2 inches. He did 11-4 in the broad jump and he clocked a 4.34 40, and he did it out of a two-point stance.

Walker is battling for the second starting cornerback spot, and while transfer Josh Wallace is the early, odds-on favorite, the Wolverines would love nothing more than for Walker to realize his potential after moving him to defense from wide receiver this offseason.

The next player is one we’ve discussed as someone who doesn’t look at all like he plays the position he does because he’s so built.

50. Alex Orji, Michigan, quarterback

There’s a bunch of other Wolverines we could’ve included in here in this spot: Blake Corum, who does 30 reps of 225 on the bench and also clocked a 6.39 3-cone and a 3.89 shuttle; Zak Zinter, who at 6-6, 325, vertical-jumped 33 inches and had a 4.44 shuttle; or Mike Sainristil, who had a 40-inch vertical and bounded up the reactive plyo stairs in 2.26 seconds, but Orji was who several teammates pointed to as their top Freak.

The 6-3, 237-pound sophomore quarterback ranks No. 1 on the team in its cumulative KPI score, which is made up of 48 Key Performance Indicators they use to track frame analysis: flexibility/mobility; strength/power; and agility/speed. Orji vertical-jumped 41 inches and did 2.34 in the reactive plyo stairs; broad-jumped 10-6; and did 3.97 in the shuttle and 6.65 in the 3-cone. On the field, the Texas native ran for two touchdowns and completed one pass in mop-up duty in 2022.

Built more like a linebacker than a quarterback, expect the Wolverines to find a role for Orji one way or another.

The final inclusion for the maize and blue is a starter who is looking for big things in 2023.

73. Roman Wilson, Michigan, wide receiver

A former “Fastest Man” at The Opening as a high school recruit, having clocked a 4.37 40, the 6-0, 193-pound senior wows the coaches with his ability to accelerate, decelerate and control his body. This offseason, Wilson clocked a 4.33 40 out of a two-point stance; ran a sizzling 6.20 3-cone drill that was only upstaged by teammate Amorion Walker. But then again, Wilson topped everyone with a 3.77 shuttle time, and also had a terrific 10.76 60-yard shuttle and flew up the Wolverines’ reactive plyo stairs in 2.22 seconds, also best in the program. On the field, Wilson caught 25 passes for 376 yards and four touchdowns and added two more rushing touchdowns.

Michigan football has always had a few players on the list, including last years No. 1 in Mazi Smith. As he has the past several years, former Wolverine defensive end Julius Welschof, who transferred to Charlotte this offseason, made the list yet again.

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10 Michigan football players who impressed at the spring game

These guys really stood out on Saturday! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — There were several key players who didn’t play on Saturday during the annual spring game at Michigan Stadium.

But a number of new faces that could have key roles in the fall shined on Saturday. It was a unique experience for the newcomers playing in The Big House in an actual game setting with fans present.

The Maize squad took down Jay Harbaugh and his Blue team, 22-21. Mike Hart, who coached Maize, called a two-point play with 1:44 left on the clock and then stopped the opposition to win the game,

Wolverine Wire’s Trent Knoop was in the press box on Saturday to watch the game, and he shares which 10 players were most impressive for Michigan.

To note, this isn’t in any particular order, just 10 overall players.

National Signing Day: Michigan football signs Alex Orji

Another flip is complete!

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Ratings

Stars Overall Position State
247Sports 3 – 47 113
Rivals 3 – 9 56
ESPN 4 244 17 40
On3 3 – 15 70
247Sports Composite 3 424 28 61
On3 Consensus 4 417 19 63

Vitals

Hometown Sasche (Tex.)
Projected Position Quarterback
Height 6-foot-2
Weight 226-pounds

Recruitment

Another flip for the Wolverines, Orji was a longtime Virginia Tech commit. With two brothers who play on the defensive side of the ball at Vanderbilt, Orji does have some positional flexibility, coming in possibly as a dual-threat quarterback, but could also play linebacker or another position in Ann Arbor. He visited Ann Arbor just before the dead period and announced a flip to Michigan football on signing day.

Readiness Level

Likely multiple years out, unless he switches to defense.

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Film

Scouting

247Sports

Loveland is a former receiver who has bulked up and is now a traditional tight end, able to stay in-line and block, or split out wide and match up against linebackers or DBs. He’s a natural pass-catcher, with soft hands, good, crisp routes, and ball skills to go and high-point it. Can make people miss in the open field and routinely gets yards after the catch. Also plays defensive end, with good pass rushing ability, leverage and technique. Loveland is also a high-level basketball player and boasts a 79-inch wing-span.

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