Michigan QB Alex Orji reviews first start: 'No. 1 rule is to try to win the game'
ANN ARBOR – Michigan Wolverines quarterback Alex Orji‘s first career start was a much-needed win in a big-time spot for the program, downing the USC Trojans 27-24 on Saturday in Ann Arbor. It happened due in large part to the 290 yards generated on the ground compared to 32 yards and 12 pass attempts from the U-M signal-caller.
Orji spoke to the media on Monday and reviewed his first outing and what they’ll be looking for on film during Monday meetings.
“I think when we watch the film, we’re going to see all the areas we can all improve,” Orji said. “As far as for me the things that I tried to go into the game and do was [first], the number one rule of playing quarterback is try to win the game. And I think that I did an okay job at that. Next after that is to eliminate turnover-worthy plays. Those are the main two things that I’m focused on, and I carry that to every game.”
Now that the first start jitters are behind him, the focus is on improving his personal game to benefit the Michigan offense. He was able to get a feel for big-time college football and competitive snaps, and there’s nowhere to go but up.
“Going into that game having a little bit of playing time here and there in the past, it wasn’t quite the same,” Orji said. “The conditioning aspect, the mental and physical parts of it as well as just everyone looking at you every play, looking you in the eyes, ready to go to war, whatever it is. Getting that out of the way and having a good camp, good practices, it’s all helped big time.”
Orji will start this week’s game against Minnesota, and it seems like he has a chance to hold down the fort at Michigan as long as he protects the football.
“The thing with our quarterback room is whoever can protect the football and get the ball to those playmakers and all the guys and facilitate the ball to the guys we have on the team…we’re gonna win a lot of games doing it that way,” Orji said.
“And so I think that with guys like Kalel, Dono, Tyler [Morris], Colston, Marlin, Breddy, they make the quarterback position really easy.”
Michigan and Orji will continue to work to find an approach that makes the offense the best it can possibly, and it starts with the quarterback finding a balance between what he does well and what he needs to improve on.
“I think that I’ve been a physical quarterback as long as I’ve been playing the position with the gifts that God blessed me with,” Orji said. ” I’ve got to kind of, you know, find a balance between being physical at times and just playing smart and protecting myself. And that’s something that I talk to Coach Campbell and Coach Moore about all the time.
“You feel it out just within the confines of a game. The first quarter is a little different than the fourth quarter depending on the score situations and all that. But I think just in general for me it’s whatever it takes to help the team win. If I gotta run through someone’s face on fourth down, that’s what it’ll be. If it’s first and ten in the first quarter, it may be a different story. It’s just being smart, but also knowing that I’m a naturally physical guy. Just kind of finding a way to navigate that.”
