Michigan QB Alex Orji plans to enter NCAA transfer portal
Michigan Wolverines football junior quarterback Alex Orji plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, he told On3. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
The 6-foot-3, 235-pounder spent three seasons at Michigan, appearing in 20 games with three starts.
Michigan has four scholarship quarterbacks slated to be on the roster in 2025: senior Davis Warren, freshman Jadyn Davis and signees Bryce Underwood and Chase Herbstreit. Orji’s classmate — junior Jayden Denegal — entered the transfer portal earlier this week.
The Maize and Blue recently fired Orji’s position coach, quarterbacks mentor and offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell. Friday afternoon, U-M made official the hire of his replacement, Chip Lindsey, who spent the last two seasons at North Carolina.
RELATED
• Is Maryland QB transfer Billy Edwards Jr. a fit for Michigan? Two predictions already in
This season, Orji played in 10 games, completing 23 of 44 passes (52 percent) for 148 yards and 3 touchdowns with an interception. He also rushed 53 times for 260 yards and a score.
Orji started three Big Ten games after senior Davis Warren was benched following non-conference play, going 2-1 with wins over USC and Minnesota and a loss to Washington. In the game in Seattle, he was replaced by graduate Jack Tuttle.
Top 10
- 1
Warde Manuel controversy
CFP Executive Director defends Manuel
- 2New
Randy Moss
NFL legend addresses cancer diagnosis
- 3
Rich Rodriguez heckler
Rowdy fan tossed from presser
- 4Hot
Newton shreds Auburn
Legend rips Tigers, Bo Nix
- 5
Highest paid assistants
Top 10 in CFB
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
Michigan didn’t find much success through the air with Orji behind center, even though it did win two games before the disappointing 27-17 loss at Washington. In a 27-24 win over USC, he went 7-of-12 passing for 32 yards. In a 27-24 victory over Minnesota the following week, he went 10-of-18 for 86 yards and a touchdown but threw an interception when he had a wide open receiver, opening the door for the Golden Gophers to come back.
Orji played a small role in helping Michigan finish 15-0 with a Big Ten title and national championship in 2023, coming in to serve as a running threat. He ripped off multiple big runs in some of the most significant games of the year, going for 15 yards in the national championship game win over Washington and 22 in a 30-24 triumph over arch rival Ohio State. When he wasn’t the starter this season, Orji played a similar role, and he even broke off a 29-yard rush — Michigan’s longest play of the game — in a 13-10 win over Ohio State Nov. 30.
The Sachse, Texas, native played in six games in 2023 and three in 2022. He was a four-star recruit in high school, checking in as the No. 390 overall player and 12th-best athlete in the 2022 class, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Orji was originally committed to Virginia Tech but wound up signing with Michigan.
