Marcus Mariota Breakdown

Author: Brett Field Co-Broadcaster and Real Titans Blog Contributor.

Alex and I both grew up in Oregon he being an Oregon State Beavers fan and me siding with the Oregon Ducks. As rivals in college football we have formed a truce to support the Tennessee Titans. Alex started this blog a few years ago and has seen a great response from die hard fans like you. Recently, when Mariota was drafted, we did a live Q and A for the blog. Recently we were contacted to broadcast game on Sunday and jumped at the opportunity. Anyway enough with the background here is my take on our new QB Marcus Mariota.

As a lifelong Oregon Ducks football fan and newly minted Tennessee Titans fan (We don’t have a team in Oregon), I’d like to share my thoughts on quarterback Marcus Mariota with the faithful followers of our blog before the season starts.  To help get Titans fans acquainted with Mariota, I’ve decided to break down his strengths and weaknesses, complete with visual aids for your convenience.

Strengths:         

Poise

                While Mariota’s physical skills are both prodigious and well documented, his best attribute is his poise under pressure and ability to bounce back from a bad series.  I think this an underrated attribute for young quarterbacks in the NFL, as most will truly struggle for the first time in their athletic careers. When Mariota faced adversity either due to his personal performance or his team’s performance his demeanor remained cool, calm, and collected, which helped his team bounce back and rally in the second half.  One of my favorite examples was the 2013 game against Oregon State, where he bounced back from one of his worst performances as a Duck to lead his team on this game winning drive:

               

Accuracy

                With a 68% completion percentage a 10-1 TD to interception ratio at Oregon last season, it’s no secret that passing accuracy is one of Mariota’s best qualities.  His tenure in Eugene featured precision passing, both in the pocket and in the run, that moved the ball down the field and allowed his receivers to make big plays after the catch.  Much has been made of Marcus “not throwing into tight windows” in college, but in my view this is utter nonsense.  Any quarterback on an elite team in college enjoys a line and receivers that are better that their counterpart in almost every game, and reaps the benefits of this talent disparity.  I think this video of his game against Cal in 2012, when he set the school record for touchdowns in a game, is a good example of making these throws into coverage.

               

Escapability

                Mariota has shown a unique ability to avoid pressure in the pocket and keep plays alive.  This is a trait that will serve him well this season, as we can expect him to come under pressure quite a bit.  This talent comes from three sources.  He is able to identify pressure and know when to move in the pocket.  Then, his athleticism allows him to escape the pressure.  So many times during his career at Oregon, we were amazed at Mariota’s balance and ability to sidestep would be tacklers.  Very few NFL QBs have this, and it will be a huge advantage.  What really makes Mariota’s escapability great however is his ability to keep his eyes down the field and turn a broken play into a big gain.  Too many athletic quarterbacks immediately try to run in this situation, but Mariota consistently looks for the receiver left open when the pocket collapses to make the big play downfield.  These traits are all on display in this big play against Arizona in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Weaknesses

Fumbling

                  While Mariota is legendary for avoiding picks in college, fumbles are a different story.  He often struggled to hang onto the ball both in the pocket and on the run.  He will have to address this issue, especially with the pressure he will likely face behind the Titan’s rebuilt offensive line.

               

System Experience

                Mariota played in a much different system in college, and will have to adapt to the Titans more “Pro-Style” offense this season.  From things as simple to taking snaps under center and calling plays in a huddle to the intricacies of pre-snap calls, there is much to learn.  How quickly he can grasp this will likely determine how successful his first season in Nashville will be.

I’m excited for what Marcus Mariota can bring to the Titans this season.  At the very least, we have one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the game who should keep us all entertained each and every Sunday.  Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below, and be sure to check our Facebook page on Sunday to listen to our one of a kind live broadcast.

Author: Brett Field co Broadcaster and Real Titans Blog Contributor.

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