Jim Harbaugh has never shied away from pumping up his players and what they’re capable of. In fact, that might be one of the reasons why Harbaugh has been able to win at such a high-level everywhere he goes – whether at the colligate level or in the NFL.
Although he’s now departed Ann Arbor to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, Harbaugh’s previous assessment of Alex Orji carries a little more weight now that the junior QB appears to be leading the battle heading into summer.
Here’s what Harbaugh had to say about Orji shortly after he committed to Michigan:
“Alex was committed to Virginia Tech. We had offered him, recruited him. He was solid with Virginia Tech. Their head coach got let go, and we just called him back up and said, ‘Hey, we’re here.’ We’re not going to twist anybody’s arm, but he decided to come up on an official visit. And that was the first time I met Alex and his family. It was love at first sight for me. Super excited that he’s coming here.
“Have seen him on tape a lot. He plays in the highest level of football in Texas. Rushed for 1,200 yards. You can watch the tape and say, ‘This guy is a great runner.’ I mean, a tremendous runner. If he had 400 yards, you’d say he’s a really good running quarterback. If he rushed for 600 yards, you’d say the same thing. But 1,200 yards? I mean, that is way, way up there for a quarterback. And don’t get the thought in your head that he can’t throw the ball. He throws it really, really well. But you can see why, when you meet him in person, I mean, I don’t know what he weighs. Not an ounce of fat on him, and it’s gotta be 235 (pounds), close to 240. It’s like looking at Herschel Walker playing quarterback, who can really throw the ball. Super excited about him.”
To be clear, Harbaugh didn’t say that Orji would be as good as a guy like Herschel Walker – someone who won the Heisman Trophy and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. But the comparison to Walker from a physical standpoint is certainly high-praise for a college QB who’s built like a tank.
Orji has proven time and time again that he can be dangerous with his legs, and Michigan fans saw plenty of examples of that throughout the 2023 season. The biggest question mark for Orji heading into the fall is whether or not he can be consistent enough through the air to solidify himself as QB1 at Michigan. We know he’s got a big arm, and he showcased his ability to throw accurate balls and make good decisions during Michigan’s spring game on April 20th. At the same time, there were also instances where he rushed the throw and was inaccurate on some attempts. Overall, it was everything you would typically expect from a spring game performance, particularly from an offense that returns just one starter from the 2023 season.
Michigan kicks off its regular season on August 31 at home in primetime against Fresno State, before a massive matchup in the Big House in Week 2 against the Texas Longhorns. In order to make it to 2-0 on the season, the Wolverines will definitely need solid quarterback play. We’ll find out in a few short months if Orji is the guy who can deliver it.
