Joel Klatt offers reasons for optimism after Michigan’s tight win over Northwestern

It appeared Michigan was going to coast to a victory in Wrigley Field on Saturday after the Wolverines took a 21-9 lead. But it was the opposite. Dominic Zvada nailed a 31-yard game-winning field goal as time expired to keep Michigan in College Football Playoff contention with a 24-22 win.

The Wolverines turned the ball over five times and missed two field goals. According to Joel Klatt, the only time that has happened in the past 25 years that a team won was back in 2016 when Boise State beat BYU.

There have been some mixed reviews on Michigan following the win, and rightly so. But Fox's Klatt, who called the game, has some reasons for optimism for Michigan fans. On his Monday podcast, Flatt has two reasons that Michigan fans should feel good about the direction the Wolverines are headed.

Youngest team in the Big Ten

While Michigan fans aren't looking for excuses -- they want results -- one fact is that Michigan is the youngest team in the Big Ten. The Wolverines, on offense, start Bryce Underwood, Jordan Marshall, Andrew Marsh, Blake Frazier, Jake Guarnera, and Andrew Sprague, who are all either true or redshirt freshmen.

No other team has to deal with that and that is one thing that Klatt looks at.

“And yet I look at this team. It is the youngest team in the Big Ten by a wide margin, by the way. And they win that game and it takes a lot of grit and resolve," Klatt said of Michigan's win.

"It takes a lot of bounce back, you know, from a lot of different people on that team, including the coaching staff. And here's the thing with youth and they had freshmen everywhere, six starting on offense. You've got a third string running back coming in late [Bryson] Kuzdzal because Jordan Marshall goes down.

"You've got Jordan Young, a true freshman playing safety in a crucial moment batting the ball away. You've got Andrew Marsh being the target on offense. He's a true freshman. There is youth everywhere, everywhere. And with youth is inexperience. With inexperience, you're going to ride the roller coaster.”

Michigan WR Andrew Marsh — David Banks-Imagn Images

When you have a young team, you need them to grow up fast. Yes, Michigan is 10 games into the season, but you want to see your young team fight adversity. And that's what Michigan did on Saturday. The Wolverines might've lost the turnover battle 5-0, and missed two field goals, but this young team battled the rollercoaster and won.

“There's going to be peaks and there's going to be valleys," said Klatt. "And when you've got more youth, if it's just one freshman on the field, you can kind of weather the storm and you're not going to ride the roller coaster as much. But when all the players on the field are this young and this inexperienced, you are going to ride the roller coaster, period.”

“That's what it's going to be until they develop consistency through experience. So a game like that is exactly what they need. And you would much rather win a game like that than lose a game like that.”

Bryce Underwood played his best game -- until the 4th quarter

The one player Michigan needs to grow up quickly is 18-year-old Bryce Underwood. The true freshman played his best game of his career in the first 2.5 quarters. Underwood started 9-for-9 in the game and looked like he made all of the correct adjustments, until he threw two late interceptions.

“OK, because even in a win, there are going to be learning opportunities, in particular for a young quarterback," Klatt started. "And I think that Bryce is going to get the focal point of everybody's analysis and talk and maybe even criticism from that game because of what happened late in the fourth quarter. He did not play well in the fourth quarter.

"After, and this is what's wild, playing his best game of the season. So Bryce was a microcosm of this roller coaster I'm talking to you about. For two and a half quarters, he played the best football of his career and he's only 18."

Michigan QB Bryce Underwood — David Banks-Imagn Images

Klatt said any good QB needs to have three distinct passes on the football. He needs to see a fast ball, being able to layer the ball over linebackers and safeties, and being able to throw the ball down the field with touch. Underwood did all three of those things on Saturday, and for the first time, Klatt saw the major development.

"True freshman came in there. He had developed, I think, multiple different, I would call paces on the ball," said Klatt. "You see, to throw the ball effectively, or I should say, and forgive me, to pass the football effectively, you've got to be able to throw three distinct styles of pitch, I want to call it.

“And he showed all three of those in the game against Northwestern. And by the way, after he made all those mistakes, you're seeing right now the throw he made to Andrew Marsh on the game-winning drive for Marsh to keep his feet in. These are kids that are -- were just at a high school, for goodness sake.

"That play and throw was incredible. And that was after the mistakes. See, trajectory. That's why I choose to be a little bit more optimistic about the way that they won versus the pessimistic view of just saying like, gross, five turnovers, two missed field goals. I can't believe it. I think at that point, it comes down to your expectation.”

Klatt's final verdict -- 'Relax'

While Michigan fans want to see results right away -- which is fair after being two years removed from a national title -- Klatt says to relax. Comparing this young team to the veteran team that won a title two years ago isn't fair to anyone.

The team that had J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum, a veteran offensive line, and a veteran defense can't be compared to a team that has freshmen all across the board. Michigan is already vastly improved from where it was a year ago. Relax, says Klatt.

Joel Klatt with Jim Harbaugh — Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“I'm not telling Michigan fans to lower their expectation, but I am saying that I think that this team is getting a bit of an unfair rap because, in particular on offense, everyone is like, why isn't the offense [humming]? Why isn't the offense [humming]? Relax," said Klatt.

"Relax. OK? Michigan's offense is vastly better than what they were a year ago. OK? And I understand that they were bad. They were, I think, No. 129 in college football, but like vastly better.

"They are averaging over 400 yards of offense. They almost had 500 yards of offense against Northwestern, which is not a bad defense. OK? The quarterback is getting better. 2.5 quarters, he played his best football of his life. They've got three red shirt freshman on the offensive line.

"Relax. OK? The offense is fine. Now they're battling some injuries now, which we'll see how that happens or we'll see what what they do with that moving forward. But the problem with with those. There are there are some of you as Michigan fans, I'm just telling you right now.

"All you can -- all you do with this group is view them through the lens of the 22-23 Michigan team. Like, come on, you can't you can't do that. That team had like 500 plus total starts. “This team has like a total of like a hundred, you know, I don't know the exact number. I'll try to get that at some point, but it ain't 500 plus. I can tell you that, you know, so that's an unfair comparison.”

Youngest team in the Big Ten

Bryce Underwood played his best game -- until the 4th quarter

Klatt's final verdict -- 'Relax'

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