SportsMonday: Alex Orji limits Michigan’s offense, but he’s the right choice
There are 30 quarterbacks in the Big Ten with more passing yards than Michigan junior quarterback Alex Orji. That list includes three Ohio State quarterbacks, a number of other backups and the Wolverines’ former starter, senior Davis Warren.
But Orji has one distinguisher that none of those other 30 quarterbacks have: the highest-ranked win.
By beating then-No. 11 Southern California Saturday in his first start, Orji demonstrated why he is the Michigan football team’s best option. Although he makes the offense entirely one-dimensional with his inability to effectively pass the ball downfield, he also gives the Wolverines their best chance to win.
To start the game against the Trojans, Michigan opted for four straight runs. That strategy got the Wolverines a first down after Orji ran a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1. It wasn’t ideal, but it worked.
A couple plays later, though, Michigan faced third-and-8. Orji looked to pass, but he seemingly couldn’t find an open receiver so decided to scramble. If not for an impressive ankle tackle from USC, Orji might’ve had the first down. But he didn’t get a pass off, his run wasn’t enough and the Wolverines had to punt.
Michigan managed a meager 26.7% conversion percentage on third down, going 4-for-15. The Wolverines’ only four makes were on tries of four yards or less where they could effectively run the ball. Anything longer than that is an obvious and necessary pass situation — but not for Michigan with Orji under center. Orji dropped back on third down a few times, but each time he either threw short of the line to gain, threw incomplete or was sacked.
Clearly, Orji’s skillset severely limits the Wolverines. But they were able to overcome those limitations against a highly-ranked team. That breeds more confidence than turnover-filled, lackluster performances — even if Michigan threw the ball significantly less, for significantly fewer yards.
In three starts to begin the season, Warren threw six interceptions. Whether Warren made a poor decision, his arm was tipped or his receivers didn’t set him up to succeed, he lost the ball. The Wolverines didn’t just fail to get a first down in those instances, they handed their opponents a golden opportunity.
Orji took care of the ball. And in doing so, he gave Michigan a chance — a chance it didn’t always have before.
“If we threw for a million yards today and we lost, I’d be sitting here crying,” Orji said Saturday. “So whatever it takes to win, if it’s 32 yards, if it’s 10, if it’s 100, it doesn’t matter to me. But people ask me what I wanted out of my first start. I wanted an all-pro, ball-secure victory, and we got that.”
With Orji, the Wolverines clearly established their identity. They’re not just a run-heavy team. They’re very nearly a run-only team. It makes them incredibly one-dimensional, but it’s effective.
Orji is an explosive runner, so defenses have to respect that and plan for him. The slight hesitation the Trojans had on Saturday as they waited to see if Orji was going to keep the ball or hand it off gave Michigan an opening, and graduate running back Kalel Mullings ran right through it.
On the Wolverines’ game-winning drive, Mullings almost single-handedly won Michigan the game. Almost because before Mullings took over, Orji made a clutch play with his arm. With the pocket starting to collapse around him, he completed a short pass to junior tight end Marlin Klein in space. The throw wasn’t remarkable, but it worked. And it worked in part because it was unexpected.
Orji’s throw set up Mullings for his 63-yard run, and his vantage point of Mullings’ heroics exemplifies exactly what his season will and should look like as Michigan’s starting quarterback.
“For me, the view was great,” Orji said. “I handed it off, so I’m looking at his number 20 just streaking down the field.”
That’s the Wolverines’ key to success this season. Their running game is the only effective part of their offense, so it has to be the full focus. Orji takes care of the ball, he commands the huddle and he complements the running game as a threat himself.
Orji’s one-dimensional offense won’t be pretty. It almost certainly won’t allow Michigan to compete with the best of the best. But Orji gives the Wolverines a clear identity that will allow them to put together a respectable season. That’s enough to make him the right choice.
Be the first to comment