Alex Orji
{{Short description|American football player (born 2003)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox college football player
|name = Alex Orji
|image = MBN S24G01 FRESNOST-18.jpg
|caption = Orji with the Michigan Wolverines in 2024
|school = UNLV Rebels
|currentnumber = 10
|currentposition = Quarterback
|class = Senior
|major =
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2003|11|10}}
|birth_place =
|heightft = 6
|heightin = 3
|weight_lb = 235
|highschool = Sachse (Sachse, Texas)
|pastschools =
|bowlgames =
- 2022 Fiesta Bowl (CFP semifinal)
- 2024 Rose Bowl (CFP semifinal)
- 2024 CFP National Championship
- 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl
|espn = 4685495
|highlights=
}}
Alexander Orji (born November 10, 2003) is an American college football quarterback for the UNLV Rebels. He previously played for the Michigan Wolverines, where he won a national championship in 2023 as a backup, and started three games in 2024.
Early life and high school
Orji attended Sachse High School in Sachse, Texas. In two years as a starter, he completed 226 of 436 passes for 3,467 yards and 38 touchdowns and rushed for 2,113 yards and 39 touchdowns.{{cite web |last1=Al-Khateeb |first1=Zac |title=Who is Alex Orji? Jim Harbaugh says Alabama's Jalen Milroe 'polished' version of Michigan QB |url=https://www.tuhttps://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/sports/college/football/2023/12/28/michigan-football-alex-orji-247-jalen-milroe-alabama-highlights/72048117007/ |website=The Tuscaloosa News |access-date=January 6, 2024}} Orji was rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports,{{cite web |last1=Grondin |first1=Kyle |title=Alex Orji flips commitment, signs with Michigan |url=https://sachsenews.com/2021/12/15/alex-orji-flips-commitment-signs-with-michigan/ |website=Sachse News |date=December 15, 2021 |access-date=January 6, 2024}} and a four-star recruit by ESPN, which ranked him No. 251 overall.{{Cite web|url= https://www.espn.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/_/id/240633/alex-orji|title=Alex Orji Recruiting Profile|website=ESPN}} He originally committed to play college football for Virginia Tech, but de-committed from the Hokies and signed with the Michigan Wolverines.{{cite web |last1=Zuke |first1=Ryan |title=Why 2022 QB Alex Orji decommitted from Virginia Tech and signed with Michigan |url=https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2021/12/why-2022-qb-alex-orji-decommitted-from-virginia-tech-and-signed-with-michigan.html |website=MLive.com |date=December 18, 2021 |access-date=January 6, 2024}}
College career
=Michigan=
==Freshman and sophomore seasons (2022–2023)==
In 2022, Orji enrolled at the University of Michigan. As a true freshman, he rushed six times for 37 yards and two touchdowns and completed his only pass attempt for five yards.{{cite web |title=Alex Orji 2022 Game Logs |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/alex-orji-1/gamelog/2022/ |website=Sports Reference |access-date=January 6, 2024}} Orji scored his first career touchdown in his first career game, versus Colorado State on September 3, 2022.
In 2023, Orji was J. J. McCarthy’s back-up, finishing Michigan’s national championship season with 15 rushes for 86 yards and a touchdown. He did not attempt a pass. In week 8, Orji carried the ball five times for 27 yards and a touchdown in a win over rival Michigan State.{{cite web |last1=Knoop |first1=Trent |title=RGIII Gives Us The Alex Orji Commentary We All Wanted |url=https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/watch-robert-griffin-commentate-alex-orji-scoring-a-td-michigan-football-michigan-state-spartans |work=Michigan Wolverines on SI |publisher=SI.com |date=October 23, 2023 |access-date=January 6, 2024}} In the week 13 victory versus Ohio State he rushed twice for 22 yards,{{cite web |last1=Zuke |first1=Ryan |title=Michigan QB Alex Orji turns heads during Rose Bowl prep. What's his future? |url=https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2023/12/michigan-qb-alex-orji-turning-heads-during-rose-bowl-prep-whats-his-future-with-wolverines.html |website=MLive.com |date=December 30, 2023 |access-date=January 6, 2024}} also rushing twice for 15 yards in the national championship game victory versus the Washington Huskies.
==Junior season (2024)==
In 2024, Orji entered his junior season as the favorite to replace McCarthy as Michigan’s starting quarterback, competing with Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren and Jayden Denegal.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/michigans-alex-orji-embodies-the-demeanor-of-a-starting-qb-will-it-translate-to-wins|title=Michigan's Alex Orji embodies demeanor of starting QB; Will it translate to wins?|website=Fox Sports}}{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/article/michigan-football-qb-update-insider-suggests-alex-orji-will-start-in-2024-232803655/|title=Michigan football QB update: Alex Orji will start in 2024, insider suggests|website=247Sports}} For the first game of the 2024 season versus Fresno State, Orji was named a back-up to Warren and threw his first collegiate touchdown pass, a three yard reception by Donovan Edwards, while also rushing five times for 32 yards.{{cite web|url= https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2024/09/for-michigan-starter-davis-warren-qb-rotation-with-alex-orji-just-like-practice.html|title=For Michigan starter Davis Warren, QB rotation with Alex Orji just like practice|website=MLive|date=September 2, 2024 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore/_/gameId/401628452#home|title=Michigan v. Fresno State (2024)|website=ESPN}} In week 3 versus Arkansas State, Orji replaced Warren and threw his second touchdown of the season to secure Michigan’s win.{{cite web|url= https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore/_/gameId/401628479#home|title=Michigan v. Arkansas State (2024)|website=ESPN}}
In week 4 versus USC, Sherrone Moore named Orji the starting quarterback for the start of Big Ten Conference play; his first collegiate start.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/michigan-names-alex-orji-starting-qb-wolverines-make-significant-change-on-offense-ahead-of-usc-showdown/|title=Michigan names Alex Orji starting QB: Wolverines make significant change on offense ahead of USC showdown|website=CBS}}{{cite web|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2024/09/16/alex-orji-michigan-starting-qb-usc-davis-warren-sherrone-moore/75250121007/|title=Michigan names Alex Orji new starting QB for showdown vs. USC in Big Ten opener|work=Detroit Free Press}} He led the Wolverines to a 27–24 victory versus the No. 11 ranked Trojans, completing seven of 12 passes for 32 yards and rushing for 43 yards.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore/_/gameId/401628489#home|title=Michigan v. USC (2024)|website=ESPN}} In week 5 against Minnesota, Orji made his second career start, leading Michigan to a 27–24 win in consecutive weeks and retaining the Little Brown Jug for the Wolverines. He was 10 of 18 for 86 yards, with a touchdown and his first career interception.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore/_/gameId/401628497#home|title=Michigan v. Minnesota (2024)|website=ESPN}} In week 6 versus Washington, Orji was benched after the first quarter in place of Tuttle after Michigan quickly went down two scores. Tuttle went on to be named the starting quarterback the following game, supplanting Orji as Michigan’s third starting quarterback in 2024.{{cite web |last1=Garcia |first1=Tony |title=Michigan football names 'Uncle' Jack Tuttle starting quarterback, adds 5th captain |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2024/10/15/michigan-football-jack-tuttle-starting-quarterback-josaiah-stewart-captain/75682910007/ |website=Detroit Free Press |access-date=October 16, 2024}} In week 9, Warren earned his fourth start of the season versus Michigan State. Orji served as the change of pace quarterback, leading the team with 64 rushing yards and had a touchdown run for a second consecutive season against the Spartans in the 24–17 win.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401628529/michigan-st-michigan|title=Michigan v. Michigan State (2024)|website=ESPN}}
On December 13, 2024, Orji entered the NCAA transfer portal. In his three years in Ann Arbor, he had a 36–6 team record, won two Big Ten championships, and a national championship. He started three regular season games for the Wolverines in 2024.{{cite web|url= https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/2024/12/13/michigan-football-alex-orji-transfer-portal/76964718007/|title=Alex Orji, Michigan football's most athletic QB, hits transfer portal|work=Detroit Free Press}} Despite being in the transfer portal, Orji remained with Michigan for the ReliaQuest Bowl.{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/michigan-football-gets-big-boost-at-quarterback-ahead-of-reliaquest-bowl|title=Michigan gets big boost at QB ahead of ReliaQuest Bowl|work=Michigan Wolverines on SI |publisher=SI.com}} In the bowl game, Warren started the game but injured his knee in the third quarter, leaving the game with Michigan leading 16-10. Orji entered the game and took over as Michigan went on to win 19-13 against No. 11 Alabama, defeating the Crimson Tide for a second consecutive season in a bowl game.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/401677102|title=Michigan defense pressures Milroe all day, Wolverines beat No. 11 Alabama 19-13 in ReliaQuest Bowl|website=ESPN}}{{cite web|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2024/12/31/michigan-football-alabama-score-bowl-game-2024/77318847007/|title=Michigan defense suffocates Alabama for 19-13 upset in 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl: 'That was awesome'|work=Detroit Free Press}}
=UNLV=
On January 11, 2025, Orji transferred to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for his senior season. He will have two years of eligibility remaining after using a redshirt year.{{cite web|url=https://www.on3.com/news/michigan-quarterback-transfer-alex-orji-commits-to-unlv/|title=Michigan quarterback transfer Alex Orji commits to UNLV|website=On3}}
=Statistics=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | |||||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Season
! rowspan="2" |Team ! colspan="3" | Games ! colspan="8"| Passing ! colspan="5"| Rushing | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |
| 2022
! Michigan | 3 || 0 || — || 1 || 1 || 100.0 || 5 || 5.0 || 0 || 0 || 142.0 || 6 || 37 || 6.2 || 2 | |||||||||||||||
| 2023
! Michigan | 6 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 15 || 86 || 5.7 || 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 2024
! Michigan | 11 || 3 || 2–1 || 25 || 47 || 53.2 || 150 || 3.2 || 3 || 2 || 92.6 || 57 || 269 || 4.7 || 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 2025
! UNLV | 0 || 0 || – || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| colspan="2" | [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/alex-orji-1.html Career] | 20 | 3 | 2−1 | 26 | 48 | 54.2 | 155 | 3.2 | 3 | 2 | 93.6 | 78 | 392 | 5.0 | 4 |
Personal life
Orji has two older brothers, Anfernee and Alston.{{Cite web |date=September 26, 2018 |title=Rivals.com - Alex Orji continuing family tradition of top prospects |url=https://n.rivals.com/news/alex-orji-continuing-family-tradition-of-top-prospects |access-date=January 12, 2024 |website=n.rivals.com}} Anfernee plays for the New Orleans Saints as a linebacker.{{Cite web |title=Anfernee Orji - New Orleans Saints Linebacker |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4567535/anfernee-orji |access-date=January 12, 2024 |website=ESPN }} Alston played linebacker for Vanderbilt and Campbell.{{Cite web |title=Alston Orji Biography |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/bio/_/id/4362799/alston-orji |access-date=January 12, 2024 |website=ESPN }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://mgoblue.com/sports/football/roster/alex-orji/24397 Michigan Wolverines bio]
- [https://unlvrebels.com/sports/football/roster/alex-orji/16741 UNLV Rebels bio]
{{Michigan Wolverines quarterback navbox}}
{{2023 Michigan Wolverines football navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orji, Alex}}
Category:American football quarterbacks