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The Tennessee Titans have found their new head coach in former Houston Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel. Although Vrabel is known for his defensive prowess both as a player and a coach, there is some speculation as to how he can help with quarterback Marcus Mariota's progression.
However, it seems he is looking to bring a sense of familiarity to the young signal-caller. According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Vrabel is looking to bring in Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Ryan Day:
New Titans’ HC Mike Vrabel’s offensive coordinator hire is significant, and…Ohio St. co-offensive coordinator Ryan Day is considering becoming the Titans’ OC, according to league sources.
Day is a former disciple of UCLA head coach Chip Kelly. Having come from Kelly's coaching tree, he runs a similar offense to that of Mariota's former head coach back at Oregon. Needless to say, the Titans' franchise player enjoyed tremendous success in Kelly's system and even won the Heisman Trophy in 2014 en route to a trip to the national championship that year.
As a result, it seems Vrabel is hoping to tap back into Mariota's roots as a quarterback. The former second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft possesses an electrifying skill set that has been somewhat tempered by Tennessee's difficulty in keeping a head coach.
Now that the Titans feel they have their man, the next step is getting their franchise quarterback back on track after a down 2017 NFL season. Although Vrabel and Day have never worked together, they do share a connection with Ohio State being the head coach's alma mater.
And while they may lack experience, perhaps putting Mariota back in a scheme he is familiar with could help the Titans take that next step in the playoffs.
