Marcus Mariota 'light years ahead' for second pro season

He couldn't have set the bar higher.

A year ago, Marcus Mariota opened his NFL career by etching his name in the league record book, becoming the first rookie to throw four touchdowns in the first half of his professional debut during a 42-14 rout of the Buccaneers. He was removed from the game after three quarters, having completed 13 of 16 pass attempts for 209 yards and a perfect 158.3 passer rating.

Could he repeat the feat in the season opener against the Vikings on Sunday at Nissan Stadium?

“I hope so,” Mariota said Wednesday. “That’s the standard and that’s kind of what I hold myself to.”

Count his favorite target, tight end Delanie Walker, as a believer after Mariota helped the veteran set career highs for catches and receiving yards and reach his first Pro Bowl last season.

“I expect him to have similar numbers in the first game,” Walker said. “He’s a gamer. And it’s going to be the opener, everyone is excited, he’s probably going to be a little bit more juiced, we’ve got a running game that is going to help that as well. I’d think that he’d probably have similar numbers.”

Mariota couldn’t have asked for a much stronger rookie season, statistically, after the Titans drafted the Heisman Trophy winner out of Oregon with the second overall pick.

He completed 62.2 percent of his passes for 2,818 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 12 games, good for a passer rating of 91.5 while setting Titans rookie records for completions, attempts, passing yards and passing touchdowns. He threw at least three touchdown passes in four games, tying Peyton Manning’s rookie record.

He rushed for 252 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries, including an 87-yard gallop in a victory against the Jaguars in December, the longest play from scrimmage in the NFL last season. That same day, he became the only player in NFL history to pass for at least 250 yards with three touchdowns and rush for 100 yards in a game.

And, oh, by the way, he also reeled in a 41-yard touchdown catch in a loss to the Jets.

But Mariota had a 3-9 record as a starter, missed four games with knee injuries and saw his head coach fired seven games into the season. He also fumbled 10 times, losing six, as the Titans finished with the worst record in the league.

“I would hope to think he’s light years ahead of where he was at this time (last year),” Titans coach Mike Mularkey said. “With all the game experience he had last year, all the things he’s had to go through since he’s been here.”

The Titans only return four starters on offense from Week 1 last season — Mariota, Walker, left tackle Taylor Lewan and right guard Chance Warmack.

They’ve bolstered the offensive line by signing veteran center Ben Jones and drafting right tackle Jack Conklin with the eighth overall pick. They’ve re-invented the running game by trading for DeMarco Murray, the 2014 NFL rushing leader, and drafting Heisman winner Derrick Henry in the second round. They’ve brought in several new receivers, including Rishard Matthews and rookie Tajae Sharpe, as well as future Hall of Famer Andre Johnson.

And Mularkey has streamlined the offense, from “protections, IDing, communication,” he said, in an effort to get the most out of Mariota, who has grown more comfortable with the playbook and with his role as a leader, teammates say.

“He’s taken over our offense and he’s led us, gets us into the right play, knows what checks to make, knows where to deliver the ball based on coverage,” veteran receiver Harry Douglas said. “He’s just doing an excellent job right now.”

Added Walker: “When you’re a rookie, you get thrown in the action. He had to be the savior. I think he was out there just playing on pure instinct. This year, understanding the game more, being in his second year, knowing that he commands the offense, you can see it a little bit more, the decisions he makes. He’s just all-around improved.”

Mariota completed 23 of 31 passes for 319 yards, a touchdown and an interception, plus ran for 33 yards on five carries this preseason. In his third and final game, against the Raiders, he led the offense to points on all four drives he played.

Kendall Wright, who will miss the regular season opener with a hamstring injury, caught Mariota’s first career touchdown pass in last season’s rout of the Bucs.

He expects Mariota’s legend to continue to grow, beginning Sunday.

“You can’t really be surprised by nothing,” Wright said. “You never know what Marcus will do these days. He might break a 90-yard run. He might throw five touchdown passes. He might catch a touchdown. You never know what Marcus is going to give you. He can give you a lot and he can do it in a lot of different ways. I’m excited to watch him this year.”

Reach Jason Wolf at jwolf@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter at @JasonWolf and on Instagram and Snapchat at TitansBeat.

NEXT GAME

VIKINGS at TITANS

When: Noon Sunday

TV/radio: WZTV-17/104.5-FM