Jared Goff and Todd Gurley are the main attractions at Rams’ training camp opener

The excited murmurs from the crowd started when Jared Goff trotted onto the field with other quarterbacks for warmups.

The noise level rose, and included boos, when a safety intercepted one of his passes during a drill.

It became a full-on clamoring cheer after he addressed the media and headed toward the bleachers to sign autographs.

Take away the thumping music and the thousands in attendance for the Rams’ first training camp workout at UC Irvine, and Saturday was really no different than rookie camp and off-season organized team activities for Goff, the No. 1 pick in the draft.

The biggest question to be answered in the next six weeks, of course, is whether Goff will be the Rams’ starter on Sept. 12 when they open the season against the San Francisco 49ers on “Monday Night Football.”

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Bill Plaschke, Gary Klein and Lindsey Thiry discuss Day 1 of Rams training camp in Irvine. 

As he did during off-season workouts in Oxnard, Goff on Saturday took second-team reps behind starter Case Keenum.

Goff acknowledged having butterflies on a day when jersey-clad Rams fans of all ages welcomed the team back to Southern California.

“It was cool seeing a lot of people out here,” Goff said. “There were people yelling and screaming.

“It’s awesome to be back in L.A. and have what looks to be a pretty big fan base…. It’s really exciting not only for myself but for the whole team and the whole city.”

Coach Jeff Fisher gathered his players before the workout to warn them about not getting overhyped because of the crowd.

‘The NFL is back’: Fans line up for Rams’ first training session »

Most of the passes delivered by quarterbacks Saturday were short routes, but safety Cody Davis did pick off a Goff pass over the middle.

Still, Fisher said Goff looked “much more comfortable” than when he finished OTA workouts in June.

Goff said he knows the playbook, is comfortable with all that the team does on a daily basis and was looking forward to the Aug. 13 exhibition opener against the Dallas Cowboys at the Coliseum.

Keenum said this week that he was focused on remaining the starter. He said he would help Goff when he could, but would defer to coaches so as not to overload the rookie with advice.

Keenum has thus far been “one of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” Goff said.

“I didn’t know what to expect coming in and it’s been far and away more than I ever could have expected from somebody like him,” Goff said. “The way he’s helped me and treated me and brought me in and kind of helped me with anything.

“If I have a question, I’ll go to him and he’s going to help me. And he’ll ask me little things to keep me on my toes.”

Goff was only one of the main attractions Saturday during the two-hour workout.

Star running back Todd Gurley said the fan turnout and atmosphere was “pretty cool,” though he could hardly catch his breath to notice.

“I couldn’t hear half the people,” he said. “I was just focused on trying to get my wind back.”

Last season, Gurley was recovering from knee surgery at the start of training camp and the Rams limited his participation. He did not play until the third game — and was held out of the final game — but he still finished third in the NFL in rushing and won the league’s offensive rookie of the year award.

Fisher is expected to limit Gurley’s reps during training camp and the exhibition season.

“We were saying the day before practice: ‘This is the best our legs are going to feel all year. It all goes downhill from here,’” Gurley said, laughing.

Quick hits

Running back Tre Mason did not report for training camp and has not been in contact with the team since the end of last season, Fisher said. Mason was arrested in Florida in March on suspicion of misdemeanor drug and driving-related offenses. Fisher said he spoke with Mason’s agent and had reached out to Mason numerous times and did not get a response. “Tre has made a decision not to communicate with us,” Fisher said. “Right now, we’re more concerned for Tre Mason’s well-being than we are his football career. We’re going to continue to try to reach him to see where he’s at,” he said. Mason was placed on the NFL’s did-not-report list so he will not count against the 90-player roster limit…. Safety T.J. McDonald, who was absent from OTA workouts after a May arrest, participated in the workout and said he was happy to be back. McDonald, who played at USC, was arrested in Woodland Hills on suspicion of driving under the influence of a substance other than alcohol. The Los Angeles City Attorney’s office is awaiting supplemental tests, a spokesman said this week. “I can’t really talk about it — it’s still in the works,” McDonald said. “It’s something I’ve put behind me and I’m just focused on playing ball. So I’m definitely in a good place right now.”…. Fisher is in the final year of a five-year contract. Asked about his contract status, he said, “I plan on coaching here a long time. I’m not concerned about that.”

Follow Gary Klein on Twitter @LATimesKlein