The Titans' head coach is bringing his old Pittsburgh offense to Tennessee. (USATSI)

When the Tennessee Titans selected Marcus Mariota with the No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft, the most-asked question in Nashville pertained to Mariota's ability to transition to an NFL offense after blossoming in Oregon's system. Mariota answered that question, compiling a passer rating of 91.5 in his rookie season, proving that he can operate within the pocket, and making it clear that the entire premise of the question was overblown in the first place.

But now, one year after those college system questions were raised, a similar question needs an answer: Can Mariota effectively transition to the "exotic smashmouth" offense?

Because that's what new head coach Mike Mularkey, who served as the interim coach for a portion of last season, is apparently bringing to Tennessee.

"(Opponents) are going to know we are going to be very hard to defend, and it is going to be a physical football game," Mularkey said, per the Titans' website. "When it is all said and done they are going to know they have been in a fight."

Mularkey, who served as the Steelers' offensive coordinator from 2001 until 2003, saw tremendous success in his first two seasons. In 2001, the Steelers offense finished third in yards and seventh in scoring. They followed that up by ranking fifth in yards and eighth in scoring the following season. Both of those teams relied heavily on the ground game, finishing near the top of the league in rushing.

Last season, the Titans ranked 25th in rushing yards, so that might need to be adjusted this offseason. One of those adjustments relates directly to Mariota, who will be asked to run more frequently.

In Mariota's rookie season, he accumulated just 34 carries, 252 yards, and two scores. In 2001, Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart ran the ball 96 times, picked up 537 yards, and scored five touchdowns.

Hopefully, for the Titans' sake, the Mariota-Stewart comparisons end there.