ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Alex Orji was highly sought after by top coaches like Nick Saban, Lincoln Riley, and Deion Sanders. However, Orji had a different vision for his football career.
Orji, a talented quarterback who has caught the eye of many coaches throughout his journey, will be making his first start this Saturday for No. 18 Michigan against No. 11 USC. Despite personal scholarship offers from coaches like Riley and Saban, Orji turned them down due to one key factor.
During a visit to Alabama, Saban presented Orji with a scholarship offer, but with the condition that he switch positions. However, Orji was determined to pursue his dream of being a quarterback and declined the offer.
Behrens, Orji’s high school coach at Sachse High School in Texas, mentioned, “There were a lot of people that talked to him, 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.’”
Before becoming Coach Prime, Sanders also tried to recruit Orji to his team. However, Orji chose to play for Sachse instead of Trinity Christian Academy due to his dedication to being a quarterback.
There was a time when Deion Sanders recruited Alex Orji to play for his high school team in the Dallas area.
Orji’s athleticism and talent have made him stand out on the football field, with coaches praising his unique skills. However, his journey to becoming Michigan’s starting quarterback has not been without challenges.
After a series of evaluations, Michigan decided to go with another quarterback initially, only to switch to Orji after disappointing performances. The question remains whether Orji has what it takes to excel as a quarterback at a high level.
Coach Moore stated, “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 versatility and determination have been evident since his high school days, where he excelled in various positions. Despite being recruited by several schools, Orji stood firm on his goal of being a quarterback.
Orji’s commitment to Michigan as a quarterback is a result of the school’s promise to give him a genuine chance at the position. Now, as Michigan’s starting quarterback, Orji is ready to showcase his skills and lead his team to victory.
As Orji prepares for his first start, the football world waits in anticipation to see his performance and potential as a quarterback. Michigan’s faith in Orji’s abilities as a quarterback is unwavering, and the time has come for him to prove himself on the field.
“There were a lot of schools, but they always seemed to go back to, ‘We’ll find somewhere for you to play…He wanted to hear, ‘We’re going to give you a true shot at quarterback.’ Michigan gave him that opportunity,” Behrens mentioned.
(Top photo: Rick Osentoski / Imagn Images)