Mariota showing off his speed at Titans' OTAs – NBCSports.com
Mariota showing off his speed at Titans’ OTAs
AP
Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota is making an impression at Organized Team Activities. Not with his arm so much as with his feet.
After practicing against Mariota for the first time, Titans linebacker Zach Brown was surprised by what he saw.
“He is faster than I thought,” Brown told the Tennessean. “He is an athletic quarterback. He didn’t win the Heisman for nothing. One time he took off – I was guarding Delanie [Walker] – and I turned around and I was like, ‘Where is he?’ He is fast. He impressed me. He is still a rookie and he has to learn, but he is a cool guy. I haven’t seen him get frustrated yet.”
Brown, who ran track at North Carolina, is one of the NFL’s fastest linebackers. He knows speed when he sees it. And he’s impressed with the speed displayed by Mariota.
Still, Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt cautions that it’s way too early to get overly excited about Mariota.
“It’s a process. That’s why you want to give him as many reps as you can, to get him more comfortable, get him prepared,” Whisenhunt said. “I guess the best assessment would be some good, some bad, probably probably what you’d expect.”
It’s nice that Mariota has impressed as a runner, but Whisenhunt will only be happy when Mariota impresses as a passer.
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Yep, Michael Vick was impressive with his speed too………look where that got him, pretty much hurt all the time.
I’d let him learn for awhile. This team is still rebuilding and a playoff run is not really likely. Let Mettingerger start at the beginning, at least the first 4 games or so, then calibrate as you go on. But knowing that Wisenhunt is the head coach, he’ll probably throw MM in way before he’s ready to save his own skin. There will be pressure from management to get their franchise guy in there asap, but if their smart, they’ll stay the course and give him a fair chance to develop.
Speeds all well and good, until a LB or DB takes a perfect angle and knocks him back to Oregon. I hope he’s successful but until he starts taking off and getting hit, we won’t know how all that speed is gonna work for him.
He better develop until a pocket passer and let his speed compliment it when plays break down. All that taking off and running stuff is only gonna get him hit, and hit hard.
We have God’s Running Back in Carlos Hyde
To go along with God’s Quarterback in Colin Kaepernick
Along with God’s Linebacker in Aldon Smith
Coached by God’s Head Coach in Jim Tomsula
All part of God’s Team in the San Francisco 49ers!
Embrace our dynasty
Minimum 5 rings in the next 8-10 years
13-3 at worst and a home SB Championship this year!
We make boats to ride on the river of tears from the haters!
I could not ask for a better franchise to root for!
We are God’s Team!
#NinersDynasty
#RedAndGoldEmpire
#BowToNorthernCal
#WhoHasItBetterThanUs
#NoOne
Remember what marcus mariota’s speed did to The Ohio State University Football Team?!?
Enjoy.
RG3 was fast too. A couple hits later and now he’s being caught by D-lineman.
Vick was fast as well. He do anything with his career besides that one playoff win at Lambeau?
Except Vick was impressive because of his speed (and cannon of an arm). Mariota is impressive because he is a clinically smooth passer, has great leadership qualities, AND as a bonus has speed.
Go Jags, but the AFC South looks like it will no longer be the doormat of the NFL.
…. So is IRG3
After Mariota blew past Brown, Brown bent down and picked up a rolled up hundred dollar bill off the field.
I’d like to see Mariota succeed but unless you’re an accurate passer speed doesnt mean anything and even if you’re super accurate it can get you killed, see Steve Young.
the titans are going to ruin this young man by declaring him the day 1 starter. it’s a sad case of a team’s short-term urgency ruining a player’s long-term potential. he’s a more hyped version of blaine gabbert right now, but with time to learn pro concepts without playing every sunday he might have an aaron rodgers ceiling. he won’t get that time with the titans
Should I Run?
/Checks the sideline for the RUN sign
/Sees RUN sign
Takes off..SACK
Write articles on his speed, because you certainly won’t see any on his passing…or leadership….or decision making…or command of the huddle.
Doesn’t speak well for the future.
lol carl gray is kidding right?
you can’t win in the NFL as a QB with your feet. you have to win with your arm. Being a fast QB means nothing if you can’t hit your WRs with passes.
Like he showed it off against the Buckeyes? O-H!!!!
Mariota impresses with his speed and frailness
Winston impresses with his love for the game, football IQ, leadership, rocket arm, and bravado.
RG4
so the line that they spent money and picks on blows huh?
Unless you have a horrible offensive line and no running game, speed in a quarterback is useless. Oh wait…carry on.
NFL–Not For Long if he plans to do alot of running. Better learn how to throw a good ball.
That’s great news if he wasn’t a quarterback.
Yeah Mariota,
Just keep on running. You’ll end up just like RG3 and the other 95% of running QB’s who have came and went in the NFL.
Mariota has bust written all over him.
meme QB
Hey posters! Is being fast a bad thing?
He ran for 30 yards on a play they say broke down, making something out of nothing. The comments knocking him for running are ignorant. Just because he has the speed doesn’t mean that’s all he’s good for. The team had to endure that with the Jake Locker experiment. It’s well-documented Mariota’s a pass-first guy.
Good Luck Marcus… FYI your not facing Washington State’s secondary anymore… these NFL defenses are filled with long, athletic former college all stars…
Wow…sounds like a lot of sour grapes which means people are envious and worried!
I would love to see the Titans turn things around with this guy; Jake Locker was broken to begin with so despite his potential fell short of expectations.
Mariota is more than just a speedster which is why Chip Kelley wanted to move Heaven and earth to get him. Bruce Arians would be so happy with his speed he wouldn’t know what to do!
Can’t wait to see how this season unfolds, consider other players a MUCH better judge of talent than a bunch of armchair critics whose appreciation for speed only comes in the time it takes to get up out of the Lazy-Boy and get another beer from the frig!
Mariota isn’t that good anyway. I’m glad Sam Bradford is my qb. It would have cost way too much to get this guy anyway.
– eagles fan today
Mariota is a lock to be a super bowl caliber qb for the Eagles. Give up whatever to get him. In chip we trust. We can’t go into the year with Sam Bradford throwing to Riley Cooper (LMAO!!!)
– Eagles fan before the draft
Yeah, but is he as fast as Tebow (was)?
Awesome! Looks like the Titans may have finally found their franchise guy…someone they’ve needed….someone who can return kickoffs for a very very long time.
billswillnevermove says:
Yep, Michael Vick was impressive with his speed too………look where that got him, pretty much hurt all the time.
=====================================
Vick had to run all the time. He didn’t know any passing plays because he never studied.
I’m amused when I see commenters questioning Mariota’s passing accuracy, leadership or intelligence. (See above.) Do those of you who did so actually pay attention to college football? … At all?
Mariota generates excellent velocity without exerting much energy. And he doesn’t take a long stride when stepping into his throws, which makes a quick release.
There hasn’t been another guy with Mariota’s athleticism who can RUN and PASSES the ball with ACCURACY!!!….Michael Vick, Vince Young, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin has been, are NO where near this dude str8 out of College!
He is the BEST dual-threat quarterback EVER to come out of college. People compare him with Colin Kaepernick, whom was taken 36th in the 2011 draft. Kap operated a cutting-edge scheme that’s designed to limit the quarterback’s reads on each play. Which is similar to Mariota’s role in Oregon’s spread offense. And that’s where the comparison ends.
Mariota is a far more advanced as a passer, has terrific ball placement. By any means, he’s not perfect.
Mariota will have to learn to throw receivers open against tight coverage, which is to say he’ll have to put the ball in places that ONLY the receivers can get to, the tight back-shoulder throw being one example. That’s a MUST in the NFL, and he has shown with his knowledge of the game, he picks it up FAST!
Thats where his LEGS come into play for the moment, to buy him self some time, while he learns to become one of the GREATEST passer in NFL history!
And by the way! NFL teams are adopting MORE and MORE spread-offense principals now, so Mariota may not have a steep learning curve!…Either way, he will make a much better transition to the NFL than what most of these pee-on analysts say!
This ISN’T a 1 man sport. You need the whole TEAM!!!…..and that’s where Mariota is by FAR a grown-up. He NEVER takes credit for a Job well done! if so, he reflect the light on his teammates.
Nor does he BRAG or come across as an OVERLY egotistic and OVERLY self-confident bastard. He just simply lets his ACTION do the talking. And that to ANYONE is a very successful man. Titan is IMHO received a guy @ the helm that WILL WIN more Super Bowl then the CLOWNS mention!
LOL Who cares about a QB’s 40 time?? How is his throwing accuracy and decision making?!!!
I still crack up watching “The Brady 6″.. Mel Kiper said “Tom Brady has the worst vertical jump and 40 time ever for a QB”.. Who cares about those measureables Mel?????
THEY ARE QBS, THEY DON’T THROW THE BALL WITH THEIR LEGS!
Running against air. Yawn.
I’m not a Titan’s fan but just wishing this nice young man good luck. hope to see you do well in the NFL.
silvernblacksabbath wrote:
“I still crack up watching “The Brady 6″.. Mel Kiper said “Tom Brady has the worst vertical jump and 40 time ever for a QB”.. Who cares about those measureables Mel?????”
Tennessee will not be deflated if comparisons to Brady fall short.
I know I shouldn’t feed the trolls but, dang Carl Gray, you have one of the most God Awful teams in the NFL. The only reason you have Gods quarterback and Gods coach is because God takes care of the downtrodden and disadvantaged.
Its going to be fun for the Titans fans this year, Mariota is going to be great! Titans have been bad for a long time, good to see em take a step forward.