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Titans turn LSU QB into safety
By TERESA M. WALKER
The Associated Press
Aug 15 2005
NASHVILLE - Marcus Randall idolized quarterbacks like Joe Montana and Dan Marino growing up in Baton Rouge, La.
Turns out he should have paid more attention to guys like Ronnie Lott.
The Tennessee Titans signed Randall in April and brought him to minicamp as one of four undrafted quarterbacks competing for their third slot. They didn't take long to convert him to safety, and he doesn't mind as long as he gets a chance to play his way onto an NFL team.
''On my pro day, I worked out at quarterback and defensive back, so I knew that I could go either way, and it didn't really matter to me. I heard stories about other guys who really didn't want to switch,'' Randall said.
''Some people were telling me, 'You don't need to switch.' I'm for whatever.''
Randall hasn't looked back since June 21 when the LSU quarterback took the field for the first time at safety. He has gotten plenty of work with starting strong safety Tank Williams working his way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and two others not able to hit the field.
Coach Jeff Fisher said the Titans told Randall they might switch him to defense.
''He's dedicated to this. What we wanted to do when we first talked to him, we said, 'Marcus, there's some opportunity here. We're going to give (you) an opportunity and based on how you do and the numbers, based on athletic ability, we potentially could move you.' And we did,'' Fisher said.
''He's committed to it 100 percent. In the back of his mind, (I don't think) he thinks he's going to end up under center,'' Fisher said.
Until now, Randall probably is best known for his part in the Bluegrass Miracle. In 2002, he threw a 75-yard pass to Devery
Henderson for a 33-30 victory over Kentucky that stunned Wildcats and fans alike who already had started celebrating.
He spent his senior season in 2004 alternating with JeMarcus Russell at quarterback even though he completed 63 percent of his passes. The only time he had ever played defense was for a short time as a junior at Glen Oaks High School where he also played shortstop and centerfield on the baseball team.
The 6-foot-2, 219-pound Randall spent the break between minicamps and training camp studying the defensive playbook and on his own workout plan where he boosted his running and backpedaling to help him prepare to cover receivers.
When he came to camp, the Titans had switched his number to 31 - the same number held by former starters Lance Schulters and Marcus Robertson. The Titans have been impressed by how easily Randall has made the transition from quarterback to safety.
''Usually, you'll get a quarterback over there that'll come over and obviously they understand a little bit about what you're doing coverage-wise,'' defensive backs coach Everett Withers said. ''They don't understand technique, and that he's taking that really well and we've been really pleased with that part.''
Whether he earns a backup spot on the roster or a job on the practice squad remains to be seen.
But Randall has proven to be physical. He showed great technique in an open-field tackle during a rookie scrimmage on Aug. 5 on a kickoff, and he had four tackles in the Titans' 20-17 overtime loss to Tampa Bay on Friday night.
''It just shows what kind of football player he is,'' Withers said. ''He's more of a football player than anything else. I think he's on his way to being able to help us.''
Titans turn LSU QB into safety
By TERESA M. WALKER
The Associated Press
Aug 15 2005
NASHVILLE - Marcus Randall idolized quarterbacks like Joe Montana and Dan Marino growing up in Baton Rouge, La.
Turns out he should have paid more attention to guys like Ronnie Lott.
The Tennessee Titans signed Randall in April and brought him to minicamp as one of four undrafted quarterbacks competing for their third slot. They didn't take long to convert him to safety, and he doesn't mind as long as he gets a chance to play his way onto an NFL team.
''On my pro day, I worked out at quarterback and defensive back, so I knew that I could go either way, and it didn't really matter to me. I heard stories about other guys who really didn't want to switch,'' Randall said.
''Some people were telling me, 'You don't need to switch.' I'm for whatever.''
Randall hasn't looked back since June 21 when the LSU quarterback took the field for the first time at safety. He has gotten plenty of work with starting strong safety Tank Williams working his way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and two others not able to hit the field.
Coach Jeff Fisher said the Titans told Randall they might switch him to defense.
''He's dedicated to this. What we wanted to do when we first talked to him, we said, 'Marcus, there's some opportunity here. We're going to give (you) an opportunity and based on how you do and the numbers, based on athletic ability, we potentially could move you.' And we did,'' Fisher said.
''He's committed to it 100 percent. In the back of his mind, (I don't think) he thinks he's going to end up under center,'' Fisher said.
Until now, Randall probably is best known for his part in the Bluegrass Miracle. In 2002, he threw a 75-yard pass to Devery
Henderson for a 33-30 victory over Kentucky that stunned Wildcats and fans alike who already had started celebrating.
He spent his senior season in 2004 alternating with JeMarcus Russell at quarterback even though he completed 63 percent of his passes. The only time he had ever played defense was for a short time as a junior at Glen Oaks High School where he also played shortstop and centerfield on the baseball team.
The 6-foot-2, 219-pound Randall spent the break between minicamps and training camp studying the defensive playbook and on his own workout plan where he boosted his running and backpedaling to help him prepare to cover receivers.
When he came to camp, the Titans had switched his number to 31 - the same number held by former starters Lance Schulters and Marcus Robertson. The Titans have been impressed by how easily Randall has made the transition from quarterback to safety.
''Usually, you'll get a quarterback over there that'll come over and obviously they understand a little bit about what you're doing coverage-wise,'' defensive backs coach Everett Withers said. ''They don't understand technique, and that he's taking that really well and we've been really pleased with that part.''
Whether he earns a backup spot on the roster or a job on the practice squad remains to be seen.
But Randall has proven to be physical. He showed great technique in an open-field tackle during a rookie scrimmage on Aug. 5 on a kickoff, and he had four tackles in the Titans' 20-17 overtime loss to Tampa Bay on Friday night.
''It just shows what kind of football player he is,'' Withers said. ''He's more of a football player than anything else. I think he's on his way to being able to help us.''
