NASHVILLE -- Marcus Mariota barked out the snap count loud near the end of the Tennessee Titans' first practice of training camp. Sure enough, a defensive lineman jumped offside.
So much for all that talk about how the quarterback might be too quiet.
Tennessee Titans linebacker Brian Orakpo (98) hugs quarterback Marcus Mariota, right, during the first day of NFL football training camp Friday, July 31, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)The No. 2 draft pick overall, Mariota showed some of the skills Friday that led to him winning the Heisman Trophy last season at Oregon, completing 13 of 18 passes in team and 7-on-7 drills with no turnovers. He finished up strong by completing three of his final four passes, including one to Kendall Wright - in traffic - that would have been a touchdown.
"I thought he handled himself well," Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "He doesn't seem to get fazed and went through it, didn't make a lot of mistakes, so it was good."
Approximately 1,500 fans turned out for their first look at Mariota practicing in a Titans jersey. One fan brought a sign declaring the quarterback "Super Mariota," and his long passes to Justin Hunter and fellow rookie Dorial Green-Beckham drew big cheers.
Mariota spoke to reporters Thursday. He isn't scheduled to talk again until Sunday, after his first practice in pads, as the Titans work to avoid overloading the rookie, whose team opens the season Sept. 13 at Tampa Bay - which has another Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback on its roster in Jameis Winston. The Titans open preseason play Aug. 14 at Atlanta.
The Titans know Mariota, whose 36 victories were more than any other quarterback the past three seasons in college, can throw and run. He passed for 10,796 yards with 105 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions in that span as well, but Mariota racked those numbers up in Oregon's up-tempo, spread offense.
Even though Whisenhunt is mixing some of those plays into his offense, Mariota now has to call plays in the huddle and take snaps under center.
"He's handled himself well, he's been good in the pocket," Whisenhunt said. "His footwork's been really good, quick release, he's seeing things down the field. A lot of the things that you see from a quarterback who's maybe had more experience in the conventional-type offense than one in the spread, he looks good."
One area the Titans had worked with Mariota on during the offseason was his cadence and calling the snap count. Whisenhunt said it was good to see the rookie draw someone offside.
"We still have a long way to go," Whisenhunt said.
Veteran tight end Delanie Walker sure liked what he saw from Mariota.
"He was loud in the huddle, called the plays out fast, got us to the line, made the right audibles," Walker said. "That's what you want to see from a young quarterback, especially having a break and him coming back in on the first day and starting fast."