After the first week of practice, Alex Orji has been revealed to have grabbed the brass ring and elevated his play. He still has three weeks to perfect his craft and get as dialed in as possible for the daunting marathon ahead. Orji is not J.J. McCarthy or future star Jadyn Davis, but all he has to do is win. That makes this the most rigorous job that he will ever have to battle with in his young life, but that's why you come to Michigan football in the first place.
Here are three reasons why Orji should be the nod against Fresno State and beyond.
1. His mobility
Orji brings the mobile factor to the table that realistically no one else does in the quarterback race. We saw what he could do in a brief showing during the spring game and in the past that folks are mostly pleased about what he can do with his legs. He's probably the fastest at the position since Denard Robinson or maybe Devin Gardner.
That also brings up the concern of him getting injured if he is going to rely on his legs too much. The offense is equipped with a deep backfield to ease the pressure, along with about three or so maulers who have seen ample time over the course of their careers. He's also got the Mackey award frontrunner at tight end and speed to burn on the outside.
Take a peek at the videos of him balancing on one leg while standing on a small block that was shaking all while doing a squat. Not many people can do that unless you're in the physical condition that he is in. There's a reason why he is considered a freak athlete.
2. His physique
Orji is certainly not shy about displaying his body. He has put the work in and is reaping the rewards. Few at his age can say they have a build like that. It places him in a better position to take hits from defenders, especially ones that weigh more then him. He's basically a running back in a quarterback's body.
Orji is happy to be doubted though. He believes that people are underestimating this team and him. He'll get several chances to prove them wrong. There's no question that his body is ready for the grind. He knew what he signed up for and has been striving for to be a starting quarterback at the home of the defending national champions.
We've still yet to see how Orji will respond when he struggles. Looking the part and actually being the part are two different things. For Michigan football to beat teams like Texas, Washington, Oregon and Ohio State Orji will have to make those extraordinary plays that J.J. McCarthy and others did to keep the winning streak going.
3. His arm strength
Another trait that others in this race don't possess is his arm strength. He can bomb it. He really needs to develop his accuracy though. That's on the coaches for not preparing him for more in-game action. If Orji can somehow improve his accuracy, then Michigan football becomes a real threat to beat anybody in the country again.
The idea of having Orji be just a runner has been floated around too. Having Jack Tuttle be the primary passer might be a way that the offense goes in certain situations, but there are consequences to that. Going with the hot hand is a possibility too. They could even run it 50 plus times a game and stick with a dink and dunk passing game to move the ball down the field.
Everyone lived through J.J. McCarthy's growing pains and we know how that turned out. Defenses will be stacking the box to make Orji beat them with his arm. That's another reason to have packages ready for Tuttle, Davis Warren and even Jadyn Davis. Running the wildcat formation to throw defenses off can be an option as well.