Zach Mettenberger Happy To Be Titans Backup Quarterback
By Les Bailey
The one thing Tennessee Titans quarterback, Zach Mettenberger seems to understand is that the path to his success is to be the best quarterback he can be. He will begin the season like he did in 2014, as the number two guy. Last year, that guy was Jake Locker, this year, Marcus Mariota.
A few years from now I don’t want to look back and regret something
Head coach, Ken Whisenhunt and his staff have made it clear from day one that 2014 Heisman Trophy winner would be the starting quarterback in week one against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, if drafted, and Mettenberger would be the backup.
Nothing has changed as the Titans got OTA’s underway at Saint Thomas Sports Park on Tuesday morning.
"“This is way out of my box, being as up front as I’ve been,” Whisenhunt said. “I don’t foresee (a controversy).”"
As Jim Wyatt from The Tennesseean reported on Tuesday:
"when the Titans kicked off their first of 10 organized team activities, everything went as expected. Mariota lined up with the first group during a running walk-through that was open to media. Mettenberger was next in line in that drill, and the order was the same in individual drills."
The Titans are in a particularly good, and bad situation with this pair of quarterbacks. The good side of the equation tells us that if Zach Mettenberger had not tore up his ACL in his last season at LSU, he probably would have been a top ten pick in 2014, and not a sixth rounder.
After what we saw last year, Mettenberger certainly has the potential to be a starting quarterback in this league at some point, and being ready to come in if Mariota gets hurt will go miles in solidifying his future in the quarterback hungry NFL.
The down side tells us that because the two are completely different in their approach to the game, the coaching staff will need to have two entirely different playbooks ready if Mariota gets hurt during the season.
One thing is for sure. The 2015 success of the Tennessee Titans, and more than likely, the future of head coach, Ken Whisenhunt are on the shoulders of these young quarterbacks.
The competition for the starting job should drive all the positions on the field, but for the offenses, this is the most important position, and both Mariota, and Mettenberger need to understand that going in.
"“Both of them are handling it the way you’re supposed to,” center Brian Schwenke said. “I kind of expected some hurt feelings or whatever. I thought I’d see something. But I haven’t seen that at all. Everything has gone extremely smooth between the two of them.“I think Mett and Marcus are both adults, and good people. They are both competitive and know the situation, and there is no reason to be a poor sport about it or Marcus being standoffish about it.”"
Mettenberger said that he wasn’t being serious when he told an ESPN Reporter that there would be “a fight to the death” after the Titans drafted the Oregon star. He is on record saying he would help the rookie QB, but he did say:
"“I won’t give away all my secrets.“A few years from now I don’t want to look back and regret something. So I am going to continue to work my tail off and do everything I have done the last couple of years and regardless of what happens I am going to try and be the best player I can be.“I have always embraced the underdog role I guess, even in college I wasn’t one of the top name guys even in my conference and being the sixth-round pick I kind of always had everything stacked against me. Really, all I can do is work hard and keep playing my butt off and that is something people know that I do."
For an NFL team that has been virtually deserted by the mainstream media, Marcus Mariota has brought sorely needed positive attention to this franchise, and the Tennessee Titans are once again becoming relevent.
That fact alone, is good for the organization, the team, the fans, and most of all, Zach Mettenberger.
Next: Tennessee Titans Position Breakdown: Right Guard