ESPN's Pete Thamel provides update on where Michigan's QB competition stands

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore has yet to publicly name a starting quarterback ahead of next Saturday’s season opener against Fresno State. However, ESPN insider Pete Thamel insists there’s not much mystery in regards to who will get the nod.

Thamel said on ESPN College GameDay on Saturday that Alex Orji is expected to start at quarterback for the Wolverines.

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Orji is taking over for JJ McCarthy, who led Michigan to a national championship last season, before leaving for the NFL.

“Well, Sherrone’s playing a little coy publicly, but sources have told me that Michigan has given Alex Orji the majority of the first-team reps at practice,” Thamel said. “He’s the expected starter right now within that program.”

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Alex Orji appeared in six games for the Wolverines last season, including against Ohio State in the regular season finale, Iowa in the Big Ten championship, Alabama in a College Football Playoff semifinal game and Washington in the national title game.

He didn’t attempt a pass last season but did rush for 86 yards and a touchdown. Orji will obviously have to throw the ball some as Michigan’s starting QB, but Thamel does expect the offense to look different than it did with McCarthy at the helm.

“What will we see from Alex Orji? We’ll see some quarterback run game. We’ll see a different identity from Michigan’s offense,” Thamel said. “He’s only played 25 snaps in his career but he was in real snaps against Ohio State, against Iowa in the Big Ten title game, against coach Saban in the Rose Bowl last year. So he comes with a rare amount of big-game experience for a guy who’s only thrown one pass.”

Kirk Herbstreit ‘fascinated’ with Michigan in 2024

In addition to Pete Thamel, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit also offered his thoughts on Michigan during ESPN College GameDay on Saturday.

The Wolverines put together an undefeated run in 2023, defeating Washington in the College Football Playoff title game to end their drought.

But things are changing this season. Jim Harbaugh is off to the NFL, and multiple key contributors – including J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum and Mike Sainristil – are also heading to the league. As a result, Michigan isn’t generating as much buzz as a defending champion might get, and ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit thinks that could put a “chip on their shoulder.”

On ESPN’s College GameDay Saturday, Herbstreit pointed out the playmakers coming back for UM, led by Donovan Edwards and Will Johnson, as a reason why he’s “fascinated” with the Wolverines this year. While he didn’t go so far as to pick them to win the new-look Big Ten, he called for Sherrone Moore and Co. to get more respect.

“We talked a lot about Dillon Gabriel, the expectations on Oregon. I’m fascinated with Michigan,” Herbstreit said. “I can’t remember a team winning a national championship and almost a forgotten team coming back the next year. Think about what they lost … five offensive linemen, J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum, all those incredible leaders on defense. Now, you look at these guys that are gonna be playing in 2024, a lot of these guys played a lot of ball last year.

“I might be crazy, I think Michigan – I’m not saying they’re gonna win the Big Ten – I’m much higher on Michigan than I think a lot of people because I think they’ve got, again, this new chip on their shoulder for 2024. No one’s talking about them, no one cares about them, no one respects them. And these are the defending champs. So I think they’re interesting.”