Titans plan to unleash Mariota's running ability
Tennessee Titans coach Mike Mularkey promised an "exotic smashmouth" running game this season, and perhaps Marcus Mariota will supply the "exotic" portion.
At Titans training camp in Nashville, Mularkey vowed to allow his sophomore quarterback to run more in the coming season.
"It's going to be in the game plan," Mularkey told Jason Wolf of The Tennessean. "We're going to obviously take what the defense is going to give us when we're playing against them. If we see something that's not going to expose him that we have guys to block players ... I mean, you talk about a threat, a serious threat and a problem for defenses, it's him running."
Mariota recorded more than 700 rushing yards in each of his three years of college at Oregon. In his Heisman Trophy-winning 2014 season, he rushed for 770 yards and a ridiculous 15 touchdowns.
However, in his inaugural season in the NFL, he ran just 34 times for 252 yards and two touchdowns. His focus was primarily on developing as a passing quarterback in the pros, but Mariota maintains the dangerous running ability of a dual-threat quarterback.
"I'm speaking from experience. I used to hate chasing Michael Vick when he was in his prime. And Marcus has that same capability with his speed," said teammate and veteran linebacker Brian Orakpo. "It brings a whole 'nother dimension."
To date, Mariota's best rushing performance with the Titans came in a Week 11 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars when he rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown in a 42-39 shootout win.
"You guys seen what he did (against Jacksonville). It was ridiculous," Orakpo said. "You bring that to the game, it really demoralizes a defense. He definitely wants to get the ball downfield with his arm, but when the play breaks and he has to make something happen, a quarterback that can make something happen with his feet, pass-rushers and guys getting after the quarterback hate chasing running quarterbacks.
"I fear for the guys, because you get a guy that's a dual-threat guy, it's really an advantage for us."