Michigan football is hoping to get things going again with a big win, and one of the biggest wins it could have all season would be against a revitalized USC, which will play in its first Big Ten game at The Big House on Saturday.
While much of the talk this game has centered on how the Michigan defense will stall the high-flying USC offense, there’s a ton of intrigue on the other side of the ball. Alex Orji is taking over the reins as the new Michigan starting quarterback and USC has no idea (nor do we) what that will look like. So it’s a challenge for new Trojan defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn.
Oddly, at Lynn’s media availability, there was no questions about him having learned for one year first under current Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and then under his predecessor, Mike Macdonald, during his time with the Baltimore Ravens. But he did discuss he expects to see on Saturday when the Trojans and Wolverines face off at The Big House.
Does Alex Orji remind him of anyone?
Not really. He has a unique skill set as far as just his size, the way he runs, and he’s a really strong arm. So the guys we game-planned against last year, no one comes to mind.
He has great vision. You always have to be prepared for him to cut the ball back again. You have to cut the ball back. Great size, great speed. He is really good back, and we know he can get it going at any point in time.
More on facing Alex Orji
So far, when he’s played the games, he’s just had a package, so that’s probably why he hasn’t thrown as much. Now that he’s going to be the starter, you have to prepare for that package, but you also have to prepare for their offense. So it just makes it makes more that they can do.
Is that challenging not knowing what the Orji offense looks like?
Yeah, you have no idea what they’re gonna do, what they’re gonna game plan. At the end of the day, play our roles and play our style.
Always have to prepare like he’s going to play. And then, if he doesn’t just have to see how they adjust. Do they plug and play the next guy in or is there a next guy that they feature?
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: What USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn said about Michigan football
