Titans quarterback Jake Locker said a good indicator that he’s making progress with Tennessee’s new offense is that visualizations are accompanying the verbiage he communicates to teammates.
Locker and the Titans concluded a three-day mandatory minicamp Thursday before breaking until training camp. Titans players are scheduled to report back July 25.
Locker is recovering from a Lisfranc injury that cost him the last half of 2013, but was able to participate fully in Tennessee’s 10 organized team activity practices and the minicamp. He said that experience helped him better grasp his third offense in as many seasons as a starter.
Jake Locker and the Titans wrapped up their three-day minicamp Thursday to finish the team’s offseason program.
“For me, once you get the verbiage and you’re able to paint a picture when you call a play, that’s when it becomes really comfortable for you,” Locker said. “As you’re calling the play, you’re picturing the routes you have down the field, and that’s when I know I’m getting really comfortable. I feel with the majority of stuff we’ve put in, I can call it and see it before we get to the line of scrimmage.”
New coach Ken Whisenhunt said that capability “makes you operate more smoothly, quicker, and whenever you’re more comfortable, it helps.”
“He’s still got a ways to go, but it’s good Jake feels that way now,” Whisenhunt said.
Offensive coordinator Jason Michael said Locker progressed nicely through the offseason program that started in April. Michael said Locker benefited by watching backup QB Charlie Whitehurst during a voluntary minicamp that was allowed to all teams with new head coaches, to participating in walk-throughs and studying film, to positional drills and eventually working in team periods.
“How he works and goes about his business carried into Phase II (of the offseason program) where he was able to get on the field a bit more,” Michael said. “It’s been gradual stages for him to do more and more, and he’s handling it great.”
Locker said he likes the combination of options that will be available in the Titans’ new scheme.
“I think it’s a nice mix of doing the more conventional huddle, calling plays and having the change-up of being able to go no-huddle with a large playbook and run a lot of different plays from that, a lot of different formations and have the flexibility to kind of put pressure on the defense,” Locker said.
