Getty Michigan football could have something to look forward to in 2024 with QB Alex Orji, according to Jim Harbaugh.
If Jim Harbaugh has his way—and, indeed, if he is still with Michigan and in Ann Arbor in the coming months—the upcoming Rose Bowl game against Alabama could be something more than just a playoff game. It could be a preview of what is to come in 2024 from sophomore Alex Orji and the quarterback spot for Michigan football.
That’s because what Harbaugh has seen from Alabama’s Jalen Milroe is an awful lot like what he’s seen from the Wolverines’ backup quarterback, Orji. According to Harbaugh, Orji could be ready to take on the QB1 role next season, should J.J. McCarthy do as expected and declare for the NFL draft.
Speaking to C.J. Magnum of the website Blue by Ninety, Harbaugh described Orji in the context of Alabama’s Milroe, the powerful runner who finished fifth in the Heisman voting this year.
“He is like a real polished Alex Orji,” Harbaugh said when asked about Milroe, per Magnum.
He was then asked if he foresaw Orji becoming Michigan’s Milroe in the coming years. “I do. Yes, I do.”
Alex Orji Is ‘That Scariest, Most Athletic Guy’ for Michigan Football
Jim Harbaugh has not used Orji all that much this season. He has appeared in four games, used in wildcat formations and has not thrown a pass this year (he threw one last year as a freshman) and has gotten 11 rushes, good for 69 yards. He has a touchdown to his credit this year, and had two last year.
“I mean, we’re seeing before our eyes with right now with Alex Orji,” Harbaugh said. “And it scares me a little bit that Jalen Milroe could be as athletic as Alex Orji; Alex is like that scariest, most athletic guy on our whole team, you know? So, okay, that is a little scary.
“(Michigan football is) excited to turn Alex loose. I think he will be right in the (starting quarterback) battle next year — depending on what JJ does. It’s fun to think about.”
Orji certainly has the size to be a battering ram quarterback, at 6-foot-3 and 236 pounds. He won the scout team player of the week award for helping the defense prepare for Michigan State quarterback Katin Houser on October 21, a game Michigan won, 49-0. Houser had just 101 yards passing and was sacked three times in the game.
Milroe Will Challenge Jim Harbaugh’s D
Still, Alex Orji is a long way from where Milroe is, and while 2024 could be Orji’s chance, Michigan has to deal with Milroe in five days. Orji had better be a top scout team player again.
This week, the Athletic caught up with several unnamed SEC assistant coaches, and all paint a rough picture of Michigan’s hopes of stopping the Tide quarterback. “(Jalen Milroe’s) going to be a big problem for Michigan,” one defensive backs coach told The Athletic. “There is nobody in the Big Ten like him. He’s the best athlete on the field. He can run over your DBs and your linebackers can’t catch him.”
The big advantage that Milroe has is his ability to take broken plays and turn them into positives. As good as Michigan’s defense has been, Milroe can simply make the Wolverines miss.
“I think Michigan is going to struggle to tackle Milroe,” an SEC defensive coordinator told The Athletic. “He’s very dangerous. I was not worried about the QB-designed runs. I was worried about when the pass is not there and he takes off and he has space.”