Alex Orji’s leadership qualities on full display in Detroit camp

Alex Orji put his leadership skills on full display over the weekend as he headlined an incredible youth football camp at the SAY Detroit Play Center. The event, organized by the Child’s Play Foundation, hosted hundreds of Detroit-area children eager to hear about and learn from the University of Michigan’s projected starting quarterback.

I was fortunate enough to witness some of the behind-the-scenes aspects of camp, including the morning meeting where quarterback coach Donovan Dooley went over his plan for the afternoon. Orji was heavily involved in this meeting, suggesting various drills for the young quarterbacks to perform throughout the day. After the meeting, Orji made his way to the gym where hundreds of young athletes were waiting, and the kids couldn’t have been more excited to meet him.

Before heading to the football field, Orji spent time in the gym where he went over different offensive formations and explained to campers how to read a defense. Not only was he a phenomenal teacher of the game itself, but he spoke passionately about what it takes to be a quarterback at the highest level. Orji spoke about the importance of confidence, the importance of believing in yourself (even when you make mistakes), and the importance of communicating in a way that earns the trust and confidence of those around you. In short, he spoke like a true leader of men.

After the whiteboard session in the gym, the young campers headed to the soccer field, where Orji once again excelled as a leader. He broke the kids into different groups, went through all the drills, and was completely clear about what he wanted to see. When one of the kids was on point with the drill, Orji was the first to praise their technique. If someone was struggling with a rep, he was the first to coach them in a way that really seemed to resonate with the group.

Overall, it was one of the first opportunities to see Orji in his element, and it quickly became clear why most see him as the favorite to take over as Michigan’s QB1 job this fall. The guy is extremely polished in both his technique and the way he asserts himself as a leader, and he’s an extremely effective communicator. Michigan has developed a habit in recent years of producing guys who seem to be wise beyond average for their age, and Orji definitely fits that mold.

Ultimately, an impressive performance at a youth camp in the summer isn’t going to be the deciding factor in Orji’s success in the fall. Even as the projected starter before fall camp, he’ll still have to go out and win the job every time he steps on the field — including on fall Saturdays. The football program’s recent success has created extremely high expectations in Ann Arbor (especially for the QB position), and the good news is that Orji seems more than ready to be the guy leading the charge.

You can watch a full video summary of the event below:

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