Michigan is actually favored over Alabama in the Rose Bowl, but most people see the game as anyone’s contest. One major reason why Alabama will certainly have a chance in the game is because of quarterback Jalen Milroe. The 6-2, 220-pounder is the catalyst for Alabama’s offense because of his ability to extend plays and run the ball, either by design or on a broken play. Luckily for Michigan, there’s a secret weapon on the roster who can emulate Milroe to a tee — Alex Orji.
Michigan’s version of Milroe goes 6-3, 236 and runs like a deer. We didn’t see him much in 2023, but he did carry it a few times and showed off the elite athleticism that has him looking like Milroe on a daily basis for the scout team. Veteran defensive lineman Kris Jenkins explained how valuable Orji has been as the Wolverines prepare for Bama.
“It definitely gets a lot of conditioning for us,” Jenkins said with a chuckle. “You know, he’s a quick boy, so, we think he’s definitely given us a good look and has prepped us to come ready to turn on the burners when we play January 1.”
According to Jenkins, Orji has really embraced the role of simulating Milroe and thinks it’ll only help Michigan’s young quarterback moving forward.
“He’s a freak of nature,” Jenkins said of Orji. “You just see how how much effort he puts in the weight room. You see how jacked he is. He’s really like a freak of nature.
Both Milroe and Orji are built more like running backs than quarterbacks and have legitimate, breakaway speed as well. It’s always hard to prepare for mobile quarterbacks because of the sheer unknown on each play, but Orji might legitimately be the best comp to Milroe in the country, which is a huge plus for the Wolverines as they prepare for Nick Saban and his Crimson Tide.
