Alex Orji: The Quarterback Everyone Wanted
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Coaches like Nick Saban, Lincoln Riley, and Deion Sanders all set their sights on Alex Orji during his recruitment, but Orji had a different vision for his future. This Saturday, as No. 18 Michigan faces off against No. 11 USC, Orji will take the field as the starting quarterback, a role he has long aspired to.
Orji, whose impressive athleticism has drawn the attention of numerous coaches throughout his career, faced a pivotal moment during his recruitment. His father, Willy Orji, recalls a conversation with Saban during a visit to Alabama. The legendary coach offered Alex a scholarship, but with a caveat: he would have to be willing to switch positions. Alex, unwavering in his dream, looked at Saban and then at his father, firmly stating he had invested too much time and effort in becoming a quarterback to consider changing paths.
“There were a lot of people that talked to him,” said Red Behrens, Orji’s coach at Sachse High School in Texas. “I’m talking about big schools, all the head coaches. The thing that Alex wanted to hear from them was, ‘We’re going to give you a strong chance to be a quarterback.’”
Even before he embraced the spotlight as Coach Prime, Deion Sanders expressed interest in having Orji on his team. During Orji’s youth football days in the Dallas metroplex, he played alongside Sanders’ sons, Shilo and Shedeur. Before taking the helm at Jackson State, Sanders served on the coaching staff at Trinity Christian Academy, where his sons were students.
“Deion wanted Orji to play for Trinity Christian,” Willy recalled, “but there was a catch: Shedeur was the starting quarterback, and nobody was beating him out. To get on the field there, Alex would have had to switch positions. Instead, he chose to attend Sachse, where he would soon become a legend with his quarterback highlights.”
One particular play stands out in Behrens’ memory. Orji, flushed from the pocket, scrambled toward the end zone. Rather than bulldozing through a defensive back, he soared over the defender in a breathtaking leap. “Athletically, he’s one in a million,” Behrens noted.
Given the intense interest from top coaches, it was only a matter of time before Orji found his moment. However, his debut as Michigan’s starting quarterback comes with some uncertainty. Just three weeks ago, the Wolverines decided to go with Davis Warren as the starter, but after Warren threw six interceptions in three games, Michigan made a change and named Orji the starter.
The lingering question remains: Is Orji refined enough as a passer to compete at the highest level?
“He’s got great arm strength,” said coach Sherrone Moore. “The accuracy has improved tremendously. It’s going to take great prep mentally, physically, and spiritually this week to get him where we need to be, and I think he’ll do that.”
Orji’s journey as a high school athlete showcased his versatility. He excelled as a sprinter, high jumper, basketball player, safety, wide receiver, linebacker, and even a punter. Initially, he didn’t envision himself as a quarterback. With two older brothers, Alston and Anfernee, who played linebacker at Vanderbilt, it seemed natural for him to follow a similar path. Anfernee even signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2023, spending last year on the practice squad and appearing in both of the Saints’ games this season.
Standing at 6 feet 3 inches and weighing 235 pounds, Orji possesses a physique reminiscent of a linebacker, which led many to assume he would gravitate towards defense. However, he began training with Kevin Mathis, who played with Deion in Dallas and has coached alongside him throughout his career. Mathis, now the cornerbacks coach at Colorado, encouraged Orji to pursue quarterbacking.
“He kept trying to get him to do it,” Willy shared. “Alex was comfortable with outrunning kids and overpowering them.”
Orji officially took up the quarterback position in middle school, but it wasn’t until his junior season at Sachse that he truly honed his skills. Transferring to Sachse during the COVID-19 pandemic, Behrens had limited opportunities to assess Orji before the season commenced. Once he placed Orji at quarterback, it didn’t take long for him to recognize Orji’s exceptional talent.
- “People that tried to grab him or arm tackle him, he broke through those and spun out of them and just kept rolling,” Behrens recalled. “Most high school kids didn’t like stepping in front of him.”
As a senior at Sachse, Orji achieved remarkable statistics: over 1,000 rushing yards and more than 2,000 passing yards, completing 51% of his passes. Numerous prestigious schools pursued him, but most wanted him as an athlete rather than a quarterback. The notable exception was Virginia Tech, which offered an offense that mirrored Orji’s experience at Sachse.
Orji initially committed to the Hokies as a three-star recruit in the Class of 2022. However, after Virginia Tech fired Justin Fuente just weeks before signing day, he decided to reevaluate his options. A visit to Michigan led him to meet coach Jim Harbaugh, who assured Orji that he could decide if and when he wanted to explore other positions. Harbaugh’s commitment to developing Orji as a quarterback solidified Orji’s decision to join Michigan.
“As long as I’m here, we’re going to develop you and get you to where you need to be,” Willy recalls Harbaugh saying.
Last season, Michigan had a specific package of plays designed for Orji, utilizing him in critical moments, including the Rose Bowl and the Ohio State game. With Harbaugh moving to the NFL and J.J. McCarthy declaring for the draft, the starting quarterback role at Michigan was up for grabs. Although Orji didn’t clinch the job in spring practice, indications suggested he was poised to take the first snap of the season.
“Even if we’re on top of college football, I want to keep taking us higher,” Orji stated during the spring. “Whoever goes out on Saturdays, whatever 11 take the field, I want to make sure I’m doing whatever I can to be selfless in my pursuit of excellence.”
Reports indicated that Orji started preseason camp strong, but midway through, he encountered a rough patch with turnovers. Warren performed better in the final stretch and secured the starting role.
Naturally, Willy sought answers. Did Orji relax? Was he overconfident? Did he not work hard enough? Orji reassured his father, emphasizing that there are more important things than just being the starter. He pledged to be a supportive teammate and continue striving for his opportunity.
“When you’re a dad and your child is trying to teach you something, you listen,” Willy remarked.
Michigan’s opening drive of the season featured Orji throwing a 3-yard touchdown pass to Donovan Edwards. Although he was used sparingly as a change-of-pace option, Warren remained the primary quarterback until late in the third quarter, when Orji was called upon after Warren threw his third interception of the game.
Following that game, Moore remained noncommittal about the starting role, but he returned to his Monday news conference ready to announce that Orji would be the new starting quarterback. The announcement caught many by surprise, including two Michigan players who had just spoken to reporters.
“We have a plan in place for Alex, and we’re ready to put it on display,” Moore declared.
While disappointment could have been a natural response to not winning the starting job in camp, Orji exhibited resilience. If he felt stung by the decision, his father didn’t see it. Moore noted that Orji maintained his confidence and composure throughout the competition.
“His attitude never wavered,” Moore said. “Obviously, he was disappointed. He’s a competitor. He’s a kid who wants to be the starting guy. If I was a quarterback competing for the job, I’d want to do it, too. But the way he led, the way he acted, the way he presented himself, was no different than it is now.”
As Orji prepares for his first start, uncertainty looms. Having thrown only seven passes in his career, it remains to be seen how his athleticism will translate into a full-time quarterback role. The only way to uncover the answer is to hand him the ball and witness his capabilities unfold.
For Michigan, the time to discover Orji’s potential is now. “There were a lot of schools, but they always seemed to go back to, ‘We’ll find somewhere for you to play,’” Behrens reflected. “He wanted to hear, ‘We’re going to give you a true shot at quarterback.’ Michigan gave him that opportunity.”
(Top photo: Rick Osentoski / Imagn Images)
