Former Michigan QB part of Dan Mullen’s risky plan at UNLV

Alex Orji transferred from Michigan to UNLV, presumably because he felt he could be the no-doubt starter for new Rebels head coach Dan Mullen. 

Orji, a senior quarterback from Sachse, Texas, started three games for the Wolverines in 2024, but he was never fully utilized in Michigan’s offense and was replaced by Davis Warren. 

The chance to be coached by Dan Mullen — who has a history of developing quarterbacks like Dak Prescott, Alex Smith and even Tim Tebow — alongside offensive coordinator Corey Dennis was an opportunity Orji didn’t want to pass up when he decided to enter the portal.

“It felt like a great opportunity to go out to Vegas with Coach Mullen and Coach Dennis,” Orji told ESPN’s Pete Thamel in January. “It’s an opportunity to cultivate a winning culture.”

Flash forward to fall camp. While Orji is expected to play in UNLV’s Week 0 matchup against Idaho State, he’s been locked in a quarterback competition with fellow transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea, a junior who came to UNLV from Virginia.

It’s been such a tight battle, in fact, that Mullen recently revealed that he can’t yet name a true starter, and both quarterbacks will play against the Bengals.

“They have similarities, but they have differences in their games,” Mullen said on “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” (h/t On3). “Both guys will play in Game 1 for us, for sure. It’s a long season. But I want to make sure on gameday that what I see in practice, they can do on the field in a game and see how people respond to that.”