At least not the way Moore and offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell design things, mostly opting for something other than the type of zone-read offense that suits Orji’s abilities as an athletic, 235-pound run threat at quarterback seems to fit. Especially with an offensive line that struggles to find much consistency in pass defense.

Instead of a steady diet of shotgun blasts and mesh point mystery for opposing defenses, we’re still seeing something more akin to what Michigan’s offense ran last season. Only now are we seeing it without JJ McCarthy under center. Most of Orji’s eight runs over 20 yards, with the exception of a late sack on a botched snap, were exits from the pocket and not designed runs.

Time patterns

Orji had a few moments Saturday where he seemed a little more comfortable and confident in the pocket, starting with the third down conversion against tight end Colston Loveland, who was returning from injury on Michigan’s first touchdown drive. And perhaps that’s no coincidence, because as Orji, who finished 10 of 18 for 86 yards as a passer, nearly half of which went Loveland’s direction, later said, “Having Colston on the field is like having a life.” “Jump into the water.” Vest on.”

Still, we also saw Michigan’s quarterback fire a ball to Loveland on a seam route in the third quarter, a jump ball that Minnesota’s Ethan Robinson intercepted to fuel the Gophers’ comeback. And even though the throw clearly missed the target, what was even more annoying was that Orji didn’t notice running back Donovan Edwards running free on the outside on a wheel route and calling for the ball with his hands up.