Breaking down Michigan football QB Davis Warren against Fresno State

Reasons to Feel Optimistic

I think that both of these mistakes come down to Davis Warren just needing to get some experience and start playing with a little more confidence. He didn't seem to trust himself, he hesitated on throws and waited to see guys open instead of anticipating receivers coming open. This is all completely understandable for someone making their first start.

With what he showed, Michigan football will still be really good this season. These are simply the things that are going to take him from reliably good to a JJ McCarthy-type season that we saw a year ago.

I really expect Warren to step up and grow a lot this season. He has the tools, he just needs the experience and the confidence. I don't know how much he'll improve against Texas this week, but I think he's a better quarterback than he showed on Saturday.

It's just really hard to say how much better. But let's be honest, if he can improve week to week and Michigan beats Ohio State for a fourth straight year in November, will anyone really care or even remember the Texas game by then? I'd hesitate to call this year a rebuilding year because this roster is still really good, but this team has some room to improve to get back to the College Football Playoff and have a shot at defending their national championship from a year ago.