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Oregon Ducks In The NFL: Change Is Good For Marcus Mariota and Tennessee Titans

By Justin Phillips

Dec 13, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) catches a touchdown pass against the New York Jets during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. The Jets defeated the Titans 30-8. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) catches a touchdown pass against the New York Jets during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. The Jets defeated the Titans 30-8. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Former Oregon Ducks Quarterback Marcus Mariota has a new focus for the upcoming season and a team that is transforming in front of him

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‘Change’ is the word entering the 2016 Season for the Tennessee Titans. Last week the 2016 NFL Schedule was released and it appears to be a rough one for Marcus Mariota and Company. The team is getting an early jump on the season.

There is a big difference entering 2016. Tennessee has a Quarterback with a year of NFL Experience under his belt. Mike Mularkey begins the year as the Official Head Coach and the team has a new Running Back in DeMarco Murray, who prior to last season was a beast in the National Football League.

Cornerback Jason McCourney has been with the team for the last eight seasons and has seen more good than bad. He is optimistic on 2016 according to WKRN-TV, ““We’ve done a lot this offseason. Added new players to the team to help us, making different trades with the draft picks… we’ve done a lot of things. This is probably the most change we’ve had go on since I’ve been here.”

The team has an important asset in Marcus Mariota, who they intend to protect better in 2016. It is vital to keep him healthy and on the field. Tennessee could be a dark horse in the AFC with Mariota and Murray in the backfield. Murray is looking to return to form from a rather disastrous season with Philadelphia and former Oregon Coach Chip Kelly.

Mariota returned early in part to get the bad taste of the losses from 2015 out of his system. He told the Tennessean one of the reasons was to begin building some chemistry for the upcoming season, “Coming out here to Nashville about a couple of weeks ago. Just to kind of get things rolling for us and kind of set a tone and build some of the chemistry that’s needed throughout the year. And just today, now we’ll have close to three months to be able to work with each other and build that foundation for the season.”

Coming off last season, things appeared to get complex with the playbook for Mariota and his team mates, that has been changed entering 2016 as Mularkey has had his Title changed and the playbook has been pared down. Mariota had a lot on his plate last season and this year should be an easier transition with a year under his belt, “There are differences. But you can’t totally simplify the entire thing because then defenses will be able to predict what you’re doing. For the most part, what I’ve seen of it so far, it is simpler, but I think we still have the complexity that’s needed to play at this level.”

The Tennessee Titans traded away the number one pick in the NFL Draft and will have 7 picks of the first 76 later this month. The hope is to put together some pieces to help their Franchise Quarterback and to ultimately help the team traverse a very challenging 2016 schedule.

Next: Tyler Dorsey To Declare for NBA Draft

The 2016 NFL Draft is set for April 28th-30th.

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