Raiders' Bricillo Talks Silver and Black Offensive Line

HENDERSON, Nev.--Las Vegas Raiders' owner Mark Davis has not lowered expectations for the 2022 season, despite overhauling multiple positions in his organization.

One of those positions was filled by Carmen Bricillo, who was hired by Coach Josh McDaniels to run the offensive line,

Bricillo spoke at the Silver and Black's OTA, and below we have the entire press conference as both a transcript and a video for you to enjoy.

Offensive Line Coach Carmen Bricillo

Q: How important is it just to find those five guys and develop some cohesion and some chemistry with that group?

Coach Bricillo: “I'd say that although cohesion is important, you've got to extend it beyond five guys. I mean, the reality of the NFL season now, it’s four preseason games for this year, plus 17 games, plus whatever else hopefully you can get to. So, in that regard, you're going to play more than just five guys. So, you've got to develop that by moving guys around and challenging guys and asking them to do more, whether that's by technique or assignment, it's something that I think at the position you'll see us always striving to get more than just five, really.”

Q: Alex Leatherwood looks like he’s getting a lot of snaps at right tackle. Is that kind of where he's sliding at right now?

Coach Bricillo: “I think to that same regard, following up to the first question, I mean, Alex, like all the guys have been playing a bunch of positions. So, I mean, it's a matter right now truly as a group us building some cohesion, understanding the system. We're not there yet. And just working to develop some core fundamentals that might be a little different, some different teaches that we're asking them to do.”

Q: Last year was your first year as a full-time offensive coach in NFL. What did you learn from that experience that will help you carry it over into this year with the Raiders?

Coach Bricillo: “Yeah, I mean, I would say obviously working alongside, as Frank (Okam) had alluded to as well. You really don't want to try to be a command style coach in the NFL. We've got some veterans that have been doing a long time. At the last place I was at, we had a number of guys that had been in the system for five to eight years. So, you're absolutely going to rely. Don't be afraid to tell a player, ‘I don't know, but I'll find out.’ Or ‘Hey, Tommy, let's try to do it like this.’ My background, I taught them about throwing spaghetti against the wall, see if it sticks. I mean we are going to try to figure something out here, so we'll be more of a collective. It's the we, not just me. I kind of take that approach to it. My time anywhere, it's about giving your players answers, whether it's high school, college or professionals, which I've been blessed to do all three. It's about giving your players answers when the time comes.”

Q: Can you tell us, now that you've got the guys on the field, maybe what's been a pleasant surprise?

Coach Bricillo: “I think this is a group that enjoys each other and enjoys coming to work. I mean, truly. We are a group in there. When the door shuts, there's not a lot of ego. We're able to say, I don't understand this, or I need help with that. It's a collective in the fact that although it's professional sports and we know that not everybody in the room is going to be here come September, nevertheless they're willing to work with one another, coach one another, challenge one another. And then when they step on the field, they work. I mean, our individuals are no joke. I know that was a standard they had here before, and they haven't proven me wrong thus far. It's been a pleasure.”

Q: What do you want people to think about when they play against the Las Vegas Raiders offensive line?

Coach Bricillo: “Smart, tough, play their best football when it counts the most. Smart, tough, play their best football when it counts the most. It's something that as we've kind of gotten the basics of the system kind of installed and now we're kind of rehashing some of it and they are hearing it for the second and third time, I've had an opportunity to start challenging them on some of those things of what you want your resume to be. When you put the film out there, what’s your resume, and so we're starting to move towards that a little bit.”

Q: How tough or easy is it to implement Josh McDaniels’ vision for an offense into an offensive line that really has no experience with it anyway?

Coach Bricillo: “It's funny because we had this conversation today as a group and Coach (McDaniels) was talking on he can boil it down to its simplest terms and it seems so simple, but yet nevertheless, it's really not as far as some of the things that we're emphasizing right now. It can be as complex as you want it, in a good way. I think that's a challenge to the guys a little bit and they've enjoyed the challenge. They've definitely responded to it. It's not rainbows and unicorns. I mean, we've got a lot of things, some core fundamental things that we've got to get better at. But nevertheless, it's day to day. You got to work at it.”

Q: Among your offensive line group, you have a lot of guys that have either played multiple positions in the past or you have them listed as multiple positions on the roster. What was that versatility such a key point of emphasis this offseason?

Coach Bricillo: “I think back to Vinny's original question. Injuries are going to occur and depending upon how they'll continue on with what the rules, are you going to be able to address seven or is it eight. I don’t even know how those rules have impacted us, but if you're going to go to a game typically with seven offensive linemen dressed, you're going to have to be able to play multiple positions. If you're only going to play one position, you better be one of the best at it.”

Q: When it comes to a rookie, does he tell you sometimes how he's responding and when it's time to throw some more on his plate, whether it's a guard or a center? Or is that something that you just throw him in there and see how it goes?

Coach Bricillo: “It's funny, my wife and I have a six-month-old and she's talking about already teaching her how to swim. She's literally going to do that and it's kind of like we're just going to throw you in the deep end a little bit and we're going to make you swim. And I think that's a part of it and it's a shock system to it. I think the challenge of it, just the system, coach is never going to be satisfied, and that transcends all the way down to if you're just going to teach him and just go slowly, then they're just going to plateau. Like go with a shock system and let's get after, see what they can assimilate now.”

Q: How much are you taking from the New England philosophy? How much are you can kind of setting out on your own to establish your own?

Coach Bricillo: “Yeah, I mean, obviously New England was my first job in the NFL, and I had an opportunity to work for Coach (Bill) Belichick and then work underneath Dante Scarnecchia. I mean, those are two greats at what they do. I would be ignorant not to say that that hasn’t influenced me greatly. My time in college, my time in high school, I'm learning life lessons from a lot of these coaches that I've been with. I think it probably is deliberate in the fact that how excited we are to be here, a part of this storied franchise and I'm definitely a person that's going to be in the moment. My feet right now are in Las Vegas, and we couldn't be happier about it.”

Q: You mentioned kind of throwing Dylan Parham in the deep end at multiple positions. How has he taken to that? What has he shown you so far?

Coach Bricillo: “He's been really good. You had asked before the question about evaluating guys and I mean, Dylan, is definitely one of those guys that I think is important for an offensive lineman to be smart, tough and athletic enough. I mean, it starts with smart. He's going to play multiple positions, right side, left side, center to guard, guard to tackle, whatever it may be. You have to be smart to be able to do that. Tough, because it's not an easy job and it's thankless. I mean, it is what it is. And then just do the athletic part. I mean, I'd like to think I'm smart and tough, but I'm definitely not athletic enough to play. But we ask Dylan to do a lot of things and like all the guys they're just continuing each day to try to get better.”

Q: Alex Leatherwood played a lot as a rookie. What have your early impressions been of him so far?

Coach Bricillo: “I think that's a testament to him and what he's about. I would say just like the rest of the guys, it's a matter of just getting to know him, them getting to know me. I mean, it's definitely a part of that. So, in that regard, we're all kind of working together. But I know like the rest of the guys, he's a worker. He cares. He's got a high standard for himself just like the other guys, and that's a good thing.”

Q: How has your family taken to Las Vegas?

Coach Bricillo: “You know, it was great. My wife's a trooper, Megan. We got a house already, so we're kind of settled. She unboxed that. I don't think we want to see cardboard for some time. And then, of course, we've got a six-month-old that our daughter is keeping plenty busy. But thus far, we've been enjoying it. We haven't had an opportunity to see a whole lot. She's been traveling back and forth a little bit, but thus far, we're really excited and enjoying our time here.”

Q: How you have found them to be assimilating and grasping in the classroom as much as the field?

Coach Bricillo: “You know, it's difficult because, again, we put so much in. You can be, again, in that deep with how much volume you're putting in. It's nice now that the guys are hearing it a second or a third time, so maybe it's now starting to see it through a different lens, or you hear some aha moments. And I am a teacher. My mother was an English teacher and I try to kind of come from that approach because it is definitely the classroom aspect of it. But then the challenge of it as well is we're asking them to do some different techniques as well. And in our position, it's not necessarily natural. Typically, you don't spend time in an athletic position until you start playing offensive line. We're making even some of the other veterans that are kind of set in their ways change some of their techniques. So, there's muscle memory that we're trying to train as well, so it just takes a little bit time with that.”

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