NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Marcus Mariota barked out the snap count loud near the end of Tennessee’s 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.
The No. 2 draft pick overall 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. Fans cheered a long pass from Mariota to Justin Hunter in one drill.
Coach Ken Whisenhunt said Mariota didn’t make a lot of mistakes and handled himself well. Getting a defender to jump offside is something Whisenhunt says they worked hard on this offseason, but the coach said they still have a long way to go.
