NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- On Day 2 of Tennessee Titans training camp, Marcus Mariota was a bit less precise and his targets were too.
In 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 work, the rookie quarterback was 13-for-22, including a throwaway and a drop by Dorial Green-Beckham.
A couple of the completions were excellent, however.
Mariota found Kendall Wright on a slant/skinny post route between safety Michael Griffin and cornerback Jason McCourty. It set off a sideline debate about whether it was a 10-yard gain or a long touchdown.
From my vantage point, I thought it would have gone for a score and qualified as a well-timed, perfectly-placed connection for a catch-and-long run.
Tight end Anthony Fasano had the catch of the day on a play the Titans and Mariota appear to be very comfortable with already. Fasano was running vertically down the middle of the field and caught a pass delivered right over his shoulder as Brown and safety Da'Norris Searcy converged.
Coach Ken Whisenhunt said he likes that the Titans are making that throw and going and getting it.
Close to the end of practice Mariota had a great three-pass sequence.
After missing Craig Stevens for an incompletion, Mariota hit Wright deep down the right side as the receiver cut out of bounds. Then the QB found Green-Beckham in the same area with a pass over defensive back Marqueston Huff and linebacker Zach Brown. Finally he rolled right and hit Harry Douglas.
Two other throws were not so good. He failed to get enough loft on a pass intended for Dexter McCluster up the right side and undrafted rookie linebacker Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil made a nice play running with McCluster, turning and locating the ball and reaching to knock it down. Another pass was high to a leaping Douglas and a defender broke it up.
Cornerback Coty Sensabaugh had a nice breakup of a deep Mariota pass for Justin Hunter.
The Heisman Trophy winner also had two designed runs, where he took a shotgun snap, paused a beat and took off, moving left. There was no read-option element to either run and they didn't seem to catch the defense off guard. But they were evidence of an expanded offensive envelope for the rookie.
Mariota signed autographs, as scheduled, after practice. Which was a big reason for a crowd of over 3,400. As gracious as he was for 50 minutes, some booed as they mispronounced his name while the team took him back into the facility to resume his work for the day.
In two days of practice, Mariota is 26-of-40 with no picks.
Other highlights and notes:
Third-string quarterback Charlie Whitehurst threw the first interception of camp. A ball intended for receiver Deon Long on the right numbers or inside them was jumped by cornerback Ri'Shard Anderson.
Blidi Wreh-Wilson worked as the second starting cornerback on the first day and worked as the nickelback Saturday. I think he's unlikely to end up the inside cornerback barring injuries. Perrish Cox moving inside or Sensabaugh retaining the job are more likely scenarios in my eyes.
Rookie fourth-rounder Angelo Blackson, currently playing as the second nose tackle, is a load. He really looks the part. I saw him slice inside rookie right tackle Jeremiah Poutasi on one play and move very well laterally, though the run play had already passed by on the other side of the line.
Linebackers worked in coverage against running backs and tight ends in one period. Brown broke up a pass intended for Bishop Sankey and Cudjoe-Virgil broke up one for Antonio Andrews. Tight end Phillip Supernaw had a grab over rookie Deiontrez Mount, when Mount would have had a play if he simply turned and found the ball.
