As a scout team quarterback, Michigan’s Alex Orji gets to be many different people. Sure, he gets to be himself most of the time. But when he steps onto the practice field, he morphs into whoever his team needs him to be. In the run-up to the Rose Bowl, he’s played the part of Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe on Michigan’s scout team so they can get a sense of just what they’ll be dealing with when they face the dual threat maven on New Year’s Day.
“I've watched his tape before. I watch it all the time,” Orji says. “Seen what he can do with the ball in his hands before so it's been a great challenge. Those are weeks that, as a scout team player, you really circle those when you get to be a dynamic guy with a similar skill set that you want to emulate.”
According to Michigan defenders, the closest they’ve seen to Milroe is Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, and even he doesn’t have the combination of speed and power that Milroe possesses when he takes off. Nor does he have the deep ball throwing ability when he truly uncorks it.
