Despite leading the league in rushing in 2014, it came as a small surprise when DeMarco Murray was unable to reproduce his career year with the Dallas Cowboys on the Philadelphia Eagles in the following season.
A combination of playing in a time share, schematic fit, and injury played a big part of Murray's career lows in yards per carry (3.6) and yards per game (46.8) in 2015. While on The Jim Rome Show, Murray let out some of the well-publicized frustrations he felt while playing for Chip Kelly in 2015.
“It’s hard to look back, but it was a great season two years ago and it definitely was a tough one last year,” Murray said, “But I think from both seasons, I took some positive things from it and learned and appreciated the game more and appreciated the time you have to play the sport.”
While it’s clear that Murray appears to be mentally revitalized from last season, where he saw a negative disparity of 1,143 yards from 2014, he’ll also be a part of an offense which looks to attack the field longitudinally.
When asked if he believed Tennessee’s offense was a better fit for him. he responded, “I do. It’s strictly downhill and that’s what I’ve been accustomed to my entire life.”
Earlier this year (and before the team's acquisition of Murray), Titans’ head coach Mike Mularkey described the team’s offense as being an “exotic smash mouth” and hopes it incorporate not only downhill runners like Murray and 2016 second rounder, Derrick Henry but also the athleticism of quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Whatever Mularkey plans regarding the Titans’ running game, it is apparent that last year’s initiatives fell flat to the tune of the league’s 25th “best” rushing offense in 2015, averaging well under 100 yards a game (92.8).
Currently, the Titans roster has seven running backs on staff, including last year’s rotation of Antonio Andrews, Bishop Sankey, and Dexter McCluster. But, the anticipated complexion of the offense will be much different in 2016. The additions of not only DeMarco Murray, but also the aforementioned Derrick Henry make a fitting duo in a downhill scheme. Further, the team’s 2014 4th round pick of fullback Jalston Foster and this year's first-round selection of offensive Jack Conklin make for formidable leading men in a presumptive power scheme.