Orji attended Sachse High School in Sachse, Texas. He started his junior year and senior year, completing 226 of his 436 passes for 3,467 yards and 38 touchdowns, while also rushing for 2,113 yards and 39 touchdowns.[1] Orji was rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports,[2] and a four-star recruit by ESPN, which ranked him #251 overall.[3] He originally committed to play college football for Virginia Tech,[4][5] but de-committed from the Hokies and signed with the Michigan Wolverines.[6][7][8]
College career
Freshman and sophomore seasons (2022-2023)
In 2022, Orji enrolled at the University of Michigan. As a true freshman, he rushed six times for 37 yards and two touchdowns, while also completing his only pass attempt for five yards.[9] Orji scored his first career touchdown in his first career game, versus Colorado State on September 3, 2022.
In 2023, Orji was J. J. McCarthy’s back-up, finishing Michigan’s national championship season with 15 rushes for 86 yards and a touchdown. He did not attempt a pass. In week 8, Orji carried the ball five times for 27 yards and a touchdown in a win over rival Michigan State.[10] In the week 13 victory versus Ohio State he rushed twice for 22 yards,[11] also rushing twice for 15 yards in the national championship game victory versus the Washington Huskies.
Junior season (2024)
In 2024, Orji entered his junior season as the favorite to replace McCarthy as Michigan’s starting quarterback, competing with Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren and Jayden Denegal.[12][13] For the first game of the 2024 season versus Fresno State, Orji was not named the starting quarterback, but back-up to Davis Warren. He still earned playing time, throwing his first collegiate touchdown pass, a three yard reception by Donovan Edwards, while also rushing five times for 32 yards.[14][15] In week three versus Arkansas State, Orji replaced Davis Warren as quarterback in the second half after Warren threw a third interception. Orji went on to throw his second touchdown of the season to secure Michigan’s win.[16]
In week four versus USC, Sherrone Moore named Orji the starting quarterback for the start of Big Ten Conference play; his first collegiate start.[17][18] He led the Wolverines to a 27-24 victory versus the No. 11 ranked Trojans, completing seven of twelve passes for 32 yards and rushing for 43 yards.[19] In week five against Minnesota, Orji made his second career start, leading Michigan to a 27-24 win in consecutive weeks and retaining the Little Brown Jug for the Wolverines. He was 10 of 18 for 86 yards, with a touchdown and his first career interception.[20] In week six versus the Washington Huskies, Orji was benched after the first quarter in place of Jack Tuttle after Michigan quickly went down two scores. Tuttle went on to be named the starting quarterback the following game, supplanting Orji as Michigan’s third starting quarterback in 2024.[21] In week nine, Davis Warren earned his fourth start of the season versus Michigan State. Orji served as the change of pace quarterback, leading the team with 64 rushing yards and had a touchdown run for a second consecutive season against the Spartans, as Michigan defeated Michigan State 24-17.[22]
