Jim Harbaugh is a smart, smart man. Even though he left Michigan because of internal disputes with AD, he made sure to hand over the reins to the people who would keep the Maize and Blue Spirit beaming. Sherrone Moore is already proving himself worthy with his staff replacements and changes in NIL policies. Now it’s upon the most probable successor of JJ McCarthy, Alex Orji, to make this season all about him.

Inheriting the starting QB role at a university that went without any loss last season and of course, a National Championship, will put Orji in a precarious spot. Amid the towering expectations, Orji finds himself resorting to Jim Harbaugh’s pearls of wisdom. “Accuracy is what’s going to get you a job. All the extracurriculars…that’s going to keep you a job,” were the golden words Jim Harbaugh had left Orji with.

Speaking of accuracy, JJ McCarthy has left some high bars for Orji with his 7.23% completion rate in 2023. However, the junior-year player proved in the Spring game that he could use his legs to become a formidable force who also has a great arm for throwing. While JJ McCarthy was the star of the show for the past two seasons leaving Orji little to no chance of getting any action. Yet during the one time he got to play, Orji managed to get 15 rushing attempts, recording 86 yards and a touchdown out of it, averaging for 5.7 in 2023.

Yet, Alex Orji will need to fight for his QB1 position. There are 3 competitors: Davis Warren, Jayden Denegal, and Jack Tuttle, though the latter is currently sidelined with an undisclosed injury. However, Orji looks like the dominating candidate on this list with all the things he brings to the table, especially his unique qualities.

How is Alex Orji different than JJ McCarthy?

J.D. Pickell believes Orji’s ‘changeup pitch’ makes him a game-changer for Michigan. JJ McCarthy’s strategy as a QB worked making him a 27-1 QB. But Orji comes in with his unique set of QB ways. JJ McCarthy used to mess up with the third level of defense: mainly the safety-bit. For Orji, it would be the second level of defense, the linebacker.

“The linebacker is tired of having to trigger and hit the running back and get there flat-footed because he can’t really tell who has the ball, so he triggers quickly, “Pickell said, explaining.

“When he does, boom, Alex Orji around the corner, read-option. Now we strike up the band. Still 40-yard touchdowns. Just different terms of how you get it done,” Pickell explained on ON3. Will this play-calling style be enough to impress Moore and Co. and earn him the QB1 spot?