Michigan Football: Sherrone Moore's message to those who doubt Alex Orji

Chris Breiler | Sep 16, 2024

Michigan quarterback Alex Orji (10) warms up before the Indiana game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

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After another shaky performance through the air against Arkansas State on Saturday, Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore announced on Monday that he was making a change at quarterback.

"Alex [Orji] will start on Saturday," Moore said. "I'm excited for him. He's been in here champing at the bit, so we'll move on from there."

Although many are excited to see a change at QB, there's a belief within the Michigan fan base that Alex Orji simply can't throw the football. The critics point to a low completion percentage in high school, along with the fact that Orji has just seven career attempts through three years as evidence that he's not a weapon with his arm. Moore addressed those critics directly on Monday.

"Yeah, I think they'll find out real quick that he can throw the football," Moore said. "But, you know, people have their opinions on it, but he definitely can throw. He'll make some big throws in this game."

INTERVIEW: Sherrone Moore explained the decision to make Alex Orji Michigan's starting quarterback for the game against USC.

"People have their opinions on him, but he can definitely throw. He'll make some big throws this week," Moore said. pic.twitter.com/EwGmE8Q9hb
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) September 16, 2024

As for what went into his decision to make the switch heading into a big matchup against No. 11 USC, Moore says that ball security is at the top of the list. Through three weeks, senior QB Davis Warren has thrown six interceptions - a mark that leads all quarterbacks within the Big Ten. Although not all of those interceptions are entirely on Warren, the reality is that the turnovers have been one of the biggest concerns with this Michigan offense so far. While Orji's reps have been limited, he's yet to put the ball in harms way.

"When he's been in the game, he's taken care of it," Moore said. "So, that's a big piece for us. We're going to continue to do that and be in a good place."

So what can Michigan fans expect from an Alex Orji-led offense? Will it look similar to what we saw with Warren behind center, or does Michigan have a different plan with Orji now leading the way? Moore addressed that as well.

"No, we've got it all installed," Moore said of the gameplan. "The offense is ready to go for him, and we've got everything adjusted for him and his skill set."

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