Las Vegas Raiders OL Update with Carmen Bricillo
HENDERSON, Nev.-Carmen Bricillo has done a terrific job four weeks into training camp with the Las Vegas Raiders offensive line.
Entering the season, the offensive line was the biggest question mark, and Bricillo has stood tall teaching, training, and leading.
Naturally, on a loaded team with sky-high expectations, fans want to know what is the latest with the Silver and Black offensive line.
You can watch the entire interview below, and read the transcript:
Offensive Line Coach Carmen Bricillo
Q: What are you seeing from the young tackles, Thayer Munford and Alex Leatherwood? Has there been any emergence after looking at the tape?
Carmen Bricillo: "I think you see, like anything - I just had a meeting with them - you will see good, bad and the ugly like an old Clint Eastwood movie. They're improving, they're working on their craft. I think a position especially a tackle as challenging as it is in this league, it's got to be constant improvement. We can't ever get satisfied. with that. You look at a guy like Kolton Miller who [is in his] fifth year here, talented guy. He is an out there early, one of the first ones, stays late to work on his craft. Thayer [Munford] and Alex [Leatherwood] are doing their part, and they're looking to improve every day."
Q: Some offensive linemen complimented Thayer [Munford] last week for how much he has grown since OTAs. Where have you seen him improve specifically?
Bricillo: "I think he, Dylan [Parham] and Bam [Bamidele Olaseni], the rookies that we have in this class, I think that's attribute number one to them individually for sure, but I think Coach [Josh McDaniels] has done a great job of instituting a support structure for them. The things you don't see of the rookies staying well through June to work on whether they're studying tape, whether they're working with the strength staff, working with our support staff, mental health, truly it's a good program that we have here that was already in place. I think Coach McDaniels has instituted some things to help those rookies just kind of navigate the rigors of their first NFL season. So Thayer, Dylan, Bam have all done well.
Q: Offensive lines can take different forms depending on the team, depending on the situation. You inherited an offensive line where you had a stalwart over a left tackle, but a lot of young players to right side of him. How has that challenged what you're doing and made this process challenging for you?
Bricillo: "I think every season is unique on its own. Whether it's you have a mix of veterans, you're always going to have a mix of players. With the length of the season, a lot of players are going to play. Looking at this group at this point, I think it is - as you said - it is unique, it is a challenge. They also bring some youthful exuberance. We had talked before about these guys really working hard, and sometimes when you get a veteran group they kind of may have a 'governor' that you sometimes are pushing them a little extra. I really enjoy working with this group because of how hard they work and how eager they are to improve."
Q: You are challenging them a lot, we see guys playing a lot of different positions even in the games. How are they responding to that?
Bricillo: "Great, Great. I mean, truly this is a group that, that celebrates one another. They have fun with one another. They're aware that there's competition within the room, that's the reality of our sport, of our business, but at the same time they just help push one another and whoever's in it's next man mentality."
Q: I saw Thayer [Munford] leave practice early today. Do you have any update?
Bricillo: "I don't even know what happened there. They'll update Josh [McDaniels] and then he'll update me.
Q: I know for your players, they're all learning a new offense, but for you personally just as a coach, what have been some of the things that you've had to go through teaching new players a new system?
Bricillo: "It's interesting, the last place I was at the Patriots, obviously it was a group of players that had been within the system for a while, some of them longer than me by far. This seems like you have 15 rookies in the room, so that's a challenge. But it's one that we enjoy, you embrace and you look at it in a sense of - four years ago when I was learning this - where are the sticking points, and then how can I move past that."
Q: In your mind do you know who your starting five is going to be?
Bricillo: "I would say that that's still something that we're working on. I would say nothing is set in stone, truly. I think the players will tell you that as well. Competition is a great thing, it breeds all kinds, brings it all out.
Q: I know you guys are new here, so maybe no preconceived notions necessarily, but has Lester Cotton been a surprise for you guys?
Bricillo: "You have that tabula rasa - a clean slate - when I got here. I had heard some of the stories of Lester [Cotton] had been here, had not been here, came back. When I did the one-on-one interviews, Lester told me his story. I thought it was very interesting and I've seen what he's been trending towards. In that case Lester has been great to have. He's a leader, he's been through it, he's willing to speak up, speak to the rookies about his trials and tribulations thus far in the NFL. I've enjoyed coaching him and seeing him just through this process thus far since we got here."
Q: Now that you've gotten a chance to work with him during training camp and the offseason, what are your impressions of Kolton Miller?
Bricillo: "I think Kolton [Miller] first and foremost is a consummate pro. He approaches playing left tackle in this league with a thinking man's mentality of, 'I'm going to work and do this.' He sees problems, he asks great questions. Now that he's been in this system for, let's call it six months, he can see some of the pitfalls. He'll ask a good question and it's one that the whole unit needs to hear. And he's a quiet leader. Any young player can come in and just look and see how he approaches his game, working on his pass sets, working on his techniques, studying opponents and it would be somebody that I can look and there's an example. I always tell the players the model is the best teacher. Kolton is one of those guys that they can look at and say, 'Alright, how do I need to handle myself in this league?' We're not all going to be 6'7" and uber talented necessarily like he is, but we can definitely emulate his work ethic and his approach."
Q: You worked with Jermaine Eluemunor for a couple of years in New England. What makes him useful as a guys that has been able to switch from the left side to the right side?
Bricilo: "That is a trait, a talent that is not easily gained. Jermaine has done that for us at other places that we've been together, and he will continue to do that here. You need those guys as we keep alluding to. Injuries are going to happen and you can only take eight offensive linemen to a game. So you're going to need guys that can play multiple positions."
Q: I know it wasn't necessarily guys in your unit, but we saw a lot of guys that have been out for a while back on the practice field today. Is there an excitement among the coaching staff to get more of the full team out there?
Bricillo: "I've got to be honest. I know there were some other position groups that did have some guys return, I don't know necessarily who was back, who wasn't, truly. I don't mean to say it, but I'm just trying to keep my blinders on and worry about the five guys up front."
Q: Talking about competition, how important are those joint practices next week for your unit going against the patriots out here on the field?
Bricillo: "I think that will be a good challenge. Obviously it's a good club with good players that play defense in a physical nature that I think will be good for us to work against. I think, truth be told it is the dog days of camp. I think by that point we'll probably be excited to go and play against some other guys, see some different techniques, see some different fronts which will present some good challenges for us up front."
Q: Not just talking about Lester [Cotton], how often have you seen guys kind of figure it out? Guys that had this story and figured it out?
Bricillo: "I think that's pretty unique, truly. In my experience in college and now the four years now in the NFL, to have that level of being close, the door has been shut and a dogged approach - and also a tribute to the previous coaching staff here that gave him that opportunity. That had seen enough in Lester in his time here, understanding the nature of the business. Sometimes you cut good players, that's a reality where you let good players go. But for Lester to push through on that, I think that's pretty unique. It's not typical, in my opinion."
Q: When you're not game planning for your opponent in the preseason, what are you looking for in your offensive line?
Bricillo: "I think number one, good plays start with good fundamentals. `So we're going to any game situation of playing with good fundamentals, run and pass. Bar none, that's non negotiable. But I would say also it would be a failure on my part to not prepare them some at least, especially for a defense as talented as Miami is. When I have free time, obviously I'm going to look at it and I'm going to prepare my guys for it. How much time we get an opportunity to actually prepare, that's a different story. That's training camp and the nature of the preseason, but I'm going to give them an opportunity to know what they're going to get out there. But it also poses then the defenses, they get a vote too. They may in any game present a defensive structure of blitz that we have never seen, and it's a good opportunity to understand that you just rely on your rules and communicate. And as long as five offense lineman up front, the quarterback, the halfback, the powers that be, whoever maybe are on the same page, you should have good results. But it goes back to first and foremost - good plays are going to start with good fundamentals and I'm always going to look for that whether we prepared for two weeks or two days."
Q: Has there been some inconsistency in the shotgun snaps?
Bricillo: "I mean you can't win until keep from losing? That's something that Coach [McDaniels] says, that Coach Belichick says that I absolutely believe in. One bad snap is one too many, so the fact that we've had a few - I think it has settled down and then I think one reared its head in the last practice and obviously Hroniss [Grasu] had a high heater on the game. That's not acceptable."
Please make sure you tell us your thoughts when you like our Facebook Page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
Want to talk about this? Want to air your opinion about all things Las Vegas Raiders? Maybe you like to talk about other sports that aren't Silver and Black related? We got your back. Join our 100% FREE message board, a brand new option, when you CLICK RIGHT HERE.
Want the latest breaking Las Vegas Raiders news delivered straight to you? CLICK THE FOLLOW button at the top of the page. Don't miss any of the latest up-to-the-second updates for your Las Vegas Raiders when you follow on Twitter @HondoCarpenter
