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OUTSIDE THE HUDDLE

Hall of Fame duo New head coach Mike Munchak and right-hand man offensive line coach Bruce Matthews were a dominant one-two punch during their playing days with the Oilers. Then, in an odd twist, Munchak coached his old teammate Matthews with the Titans. The close friends (each served as the others presenter at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio) have always been an intimidating duo, with Munchak listed at 6'3", 281 pounds during his playing days and Matthews at 6'5", 305. Now, Munchak and Matthews will attempt to pave the way for the Titans from the sideline. Angel in the backfield Jake Locker was selected by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 10th round of the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft. The rocket-armed center fielder was given a reported $250,000 signing bonus, and the Angels will hold Lockers rights until 2015. In the summer of 2008, Locker was named the top prospect in the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League by Baseball America, after hitting .273 (9-of-33) with one HR, three RBIs, six runs and four stolen bases in 10 games. Locker isnt the only Titan quarterback with a baseball background; the late, great Steve McNair was a 35th round pick of the Mariners in 1991 before becoming a power-hitting, slick-fielding shortstop in Jeff Fishers annual charity softball game. Face of the franchise During the lockout over the
summer, many Titans as well as Nashville residents such as Derrick Mason and Golden Tate gathered to work out, run drills and practice plays in 7-on-7 drills at Father Ryan High School. All eyes were on rookie quarterback Jake Locker during the player-organized mini-camps. And Locker showed enough on the field albeit in shorts and a t-shirt for trash-talking cornerback Cortland Finnegan to give the No. 8 overall pick a new nickname: Face of the Franchise.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Pyrotechnic playmaker The meteoric rise of Chris

Johnson has the Orlando, Fla., native and East Carolina alum in rarified air among historys best backs. Famous for his quick first step, C.J. is off to one of the fastest starts of all time, with more all-purpose yards (5,606) over his first three seasons than anyone other than LaDainian Tomlinson (6,145) and Eric Dickerson (5,816).

Show me the money After skipping last seasons

offseason voluntary workouts in Nashville in an effort to secure a new contract, Johnson was a surprise attendee at player-organized team mini-camps this year. I really didnt come out here to try to prove a point, said Johnson. I came out to get a good workout in and to try to get the team better. Make no mistake, however, with uncertainty in the passing game and a little lockout leverage on his side, Johnson will once again be chasing millions of dollars or holding out to try to prove a point.

Tim Clark/Athlon Sports

Jeff Fishers sons friend Marc Mariani was a seventh-round pick who had been a teammate of Jeff Fishers son, Brandon, at Montana. But in just one season, Mariani established himself as one of the NFLs premier return specialists. As a rookie, Mariani was both reliable and explosive scoring TDs on a 98-yard kickoff and 87-yard punt return en route to being named to the Pro Bowl. While in Honolulu, Mariani set Pro Bowl records with nine kickoff returns for 326 yards (36.2 ypr) during a 5541 NFC win.

CHRIS JOHNSON, RB