Michigan will continue to be a run-heavy outfit with Alex Orji taking over the Wolverines’ starting quarterback role from Davis Warren. As CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah points out, the offensive gameplan can be more grind-it-out than air-it-out in Week 4 and beyond.
“Orji was viewed as the next in line when he came to Michigan via Sachse (Texas) High School,” Jeyarajah wrote. “The third-year player comes from an athletic family; two brothers played at Vanderbilt, including New Orleans Saints linebacker Anfernee Orji. In his final two years of high school football, Orji rushed for 2,167 yards and 39 touchdowns.
“However, Orji's passing has long been a work in progress. In high school, he completed only 51% of his passes. At Michigan, Orji has essentially been disallowed from throwing the football. It's unclear whether Orji will be able to provide much threat in the passing game, or if the offense will double down on running the football behind Moore's signature offensive line.”
Michigan went with pass plays on less than 45% of their play-calls in 2024 through their first three games. Maybe that number skews even more toward the run with Orji as QB1.
Michigan facing major first test with Alex Orji as QB1 against USC
There are few games on the schedule that will test the Wolverines quite like USC. Miller Moss looks like a capable Caleb Williams replacement and the Trojans' defense has held up thus against a high-powered LSU team and shut out Utah State in Week 2.
Specifically for Orji, he’ll need to set up the pass by calling his own number and finding the other hot hands in the Wolverines' backfield. Donovan Edwards has been criminally disappointing thus far, though Kalel Mullings looks like a potential breakout.
Either way, playing like an academy and differentiating the rushing attack is how there will be any success in the passing game. Who knows? Maybe Orji can catch the Trojans off-guard by strategically looking downfield a few times too.
All easier said than done, of course. Michigan may just have to sleep in the bed Jim Harbaugh made for them in 2024 with a difficult Big Ten schedule ahead.
