Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is waiting for the “freaks” to take the field.
On defense, that would be defensive lineman Kris Jenkins.
On special teams, that means Alex Orji transforming from a backup quarterback into “one of the greatest kick returners of all time.”
Stay tuned.
Michigan’s biggest Freak 307-pound DL Kris Jenkins, aka “The Mutant,” (son of the former Pro Bowler by the same name) vertical jumped 34 inches, ran a 4.33 shuttle and did this insane Turkish Get Up with a 170-pound dumbbell: https://t.co/4bqHQeV0tq pic.twitter.com/4ZO5ctuo8y
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 15, 2023
DL Kris Jenkins Carries NFL Lineage Into Junior Season
Freak isn’t the only “friendly” adjective used to describe Jenkins as he prepares to enter this junior campaign. Striving to follow his father into the NFL, Jenkins has paced the Wolverines during their offseason Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
Harbaugh affectionately called him a “mutant.”
“He’s the mutant of all mutants,” Harbaugh told The Athletic. “He just keeps going and going. He’s No. 1 in our KPIs. He’s the poster child for enthusiasm unknown to mankind.”
To demonstrate, a video surfaced Tuesday of Jenkins executing a Turkish Get-Up with a 170-pound dumbbell.
Talk about impressive and helps explain why The Athletic ranked Jenkins No. 6 on its 2023 college football “freaks” list.
Jenkins also is known for performing pull-ups with a 100-pound weight anchored to his waist, running a 4.3-second shuttle and measuring a 34-inch vertical jump.
Coming off a sophomore season in which he recorded 54 tackles, including two sacks, Jenkins is expected to become a stronger leader along the defensive line as the Wolverines, who were ranked No. 2 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, vie for a third consecutive Big Ten championship.
“Watch him become a top-10 (NFL draft) pick,” Harbaugh said.
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh believes QB Alex Orji has a chance to be one of the greatest kick returners of all time.
😱👀@WoodsFootball with more.https://t.co/wt5EUzBCYc
— Maize n Brew (@MaizenBrew) August 15, 2023
Backup QB Alex Orji Could Take Over Kick Return Duties
When a coach has an athlete like Orji, there has to be a place for him on the field.
Somewhere.
There’s little chance to unseat No. 1 quarterback JJ McCarthy, who could develop into the top overall pick in next year’s NFL draft, so Harbaugh has been looking at options for the athletic 235-pounder.
During Monday’s press conference, Harbaugh said watching Orji compete at practice is “like looking at Herschel Walker playing quarterback.”
While there likely will be packages designed for Orji to replace McCarthy under center during short-yardage situations, Harbaugh continues to experiment to better utilize his skillset.
The Michigan coach said he has a “a secret plan for Alex Orji.”
Maybe it’s not so secret, but it includes positioning Orji deep on special teams to return kickoffs.
There’s just one caveat.
“We have to improve in our kickoff return blocking before I would agree to have Alex Orji returning the kick,” Harbaugh said. “Our kickoff return blockers have seen what Alex can do as a kick returner, but the challenge is on them to get better. Get better at their fundamentals and techniques, and give him a chance.
“If we can make it happen, it would be really special.”
As a high school senior in 2021, Orji threw for 2,064 yards and 28 touchdowns and rushed for 1,187 yards and 24 TDs. As a first-year dual-threat QB last season, Orji scored two TDs.
Other kickoff return candidates include Eamonn Dennis, Kalel Mullings and Roman Wilson, but if Orji earns the job, it could be time for Wolverines fans to freak out.
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