Raiders' Coach Pierce's Friday Press Conference
HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders (4-5) are about to host the New York Jets (4-4) on Sunday Night Football, after a dominating victory over the New York Giants.
Interim Coach Antonio Pierce stepped to the microphone to address the media for his Friday press conference to discuss the state of the Silver and Black.
We have the entire press conference for you to watch above, and the transcript below to read as well.
Interim Coach Antonio Pierce
Q: Is there an update on Kolton Miller?
Coach Pierce: "Yeah, we'll know here in a couple hours. We're about to go out to practice. I know he's battling, he wants to get out there with us, and we'll see today. Hopefully, it works out for us."
Q: One of the things that you're teaching your guys is how to win and handle success. Were you happy with how they came back from the couple days off?
Coach Pierce: "Yeah, we had two good practices. Obviously we've just got to clean some things up. First full week, right, like a normal week, so obviously there's going to be a little bit more there with the corrections, more practice time, more meeting time to do that. But again, I'm going to go back to the keywords that I always talk about, our purpose is there. So yes, we're heading in the right direction."
Q: How do you handle a night game process for the players on Sunday compared to maybe the normal routine?
Coach Pierce: "Yeah, just let them sleep a little bit. I recall when I was a player, you did like that extra hour or so. Not making them feel rushed, but also keeping them on their same routine. So just kind of planning that with our staff with the timing, but also you've got to know your roster right and how you're feeling. So, I think all that plays into it. But the good part about it, we've had enough this year. Our guys are used to it, that's a good thing for the Raiders that we're playing all these prime-time games, and we're excited about it."
Q: How important has it been for you to go over to the other side on the offensive side of the ball, just kind of get to know guys a little bit more and develop some relationships on that side of the ball?
Coach Pierce: "I thought even prior to this opportunity I did cross over a little bit, but now I'm over there more. I'm actually spending most of my time over there with the offense allowing them to feel me, get used to hearing me, seeing me, hear me speak, how I talk, and then interacting with them. And then just kind of watching our coaches coach. I wasn't focused on that, I had my own job to do as a linebacker coach. So, I would say a big part of my day is with the offense."
Las Vegas Raiders Coach Antonio Pierce has put a smile on many faces since taking over the Silver and Black, including his own.
Darrell Craig Harris, Raiders Today
Q: What about the relationship with the quarterback? I know that head coach and quarterback, that's kind of almost one in the same. Is that kind of coming along as well?
Coach Pierce: "Yeah, that's my BFF. We're BFF's, I call him four. He's a rookie, so I still call him four. I'm over there talking with Jimmy [Garoppolo], hell I played against Brian Hoyer. So, we've always had a good relationship, talking, joking, just talking ball and just listening to them talk behind the huddle is really good for me and them."
Q: What have you found to be the most challenging part of the job so far?
Coach Pierce: "All the requests -- time consuming. You think you can be somewhere and focus on this, and then you get pulled out of a lot of meetings or studies or things you're doing. So, that's the biggest thing. And at the end of the day, you want to make yourself available, the door is wide open, it's not closed. So, I understand that, and obviously it'll be an adjustment as I go forward."
Q: In the locker room yesterday, all the guys were talking about how you didn't make this about you, you made it about them. But I've equated this to a 10-game job interview. They're talking about wanting to get the job for you. I know you're not preaching it, but that respect, what does it mean to you?
Coach Pierce: "It means a lot. Listen, if we handle our business, it will take care of itself. That's the world I come from, and I can't control my destiny in 10 weeks myself, right. The players will, the coaches will, our support staff will. So collectively, if we want this thing to work and see this going forward into the 2024 season we can, but if I don't handle my business on Sunday, we're not even talking about 2024. So I'm on Sunday, I'm at 5:20 p.m., but more importantly, I'm on today at 12 o'clock."
Q: Another guy as you're trying to get more acquainted with the roster, what was your relationship like with AJ Cole kind of like throughout the season? Also what do you believe he brings to the team as in setting up your defense for success?
Coach Pierce: "Yeah, I always would say this though, even as a player and a coach, kickers and punters are unique, specialists are unique. They have their routine. You don't mess with them, they get their coffee at a certain time, they're going to get their coffee and you find time to talk to him. And I think that's how we've been working. But listen, what AJ [Cole] did the other night, I don't think we talked enough about. The NFL single-game record, changed field position for us. The cover unit was great, the protection was good and just watch how those guys celebrated and understanding what he accomplished. He was the player of the game for us, he's got the first spot out there in the parking lot. First man in the building, first spot. So, obviously we respect -- and our special teams has been our core. It's been the strength of our team in each and every game, giving us opportunities. But him and [Daniel] Carlson, they've done an outstanding job along with our kicking coverage units."
Q: What are you seeing from the back end between Marcus Epps and Tre'von Moehrig? They seem like they're coming into their own.
Coach Pierce: "Yeah, Marcus Epps did a great job. When he first got here, he grabbed that group. You saw him in the cafeteria, you saw him at different parts of the building kind of circled up, brought that unit closer together, I feel, on and off the field. He's a great communicator, great leader, student of the game, a winner. He's a winner. He was there last year, right there to having himself a ring. And he's brought that leadership and that understanding of what it's like, I talked about that, that winning stamina and winning mentality into our building."
Q: How good is it to have leaders on every element of the defense from the line to the linebacker room to the back end?
Coach Pierce: "Yeah, if you take care of -- obviously you have Maxx [Crosby], you have Robert Spillane, you have [Marcus] Epps; but then you have guys beyond that. A guy who a lot of guys look up to is Marcus Peters, and he's done an outstanding job. It hasn't always been pretty, he knows that; we've had great conversations about it. But the mind and the purpose is there. And this is a pro, this is a guy who's done it at a high level for a long time. He makes our group better. So, just doing that on both sides of the ball, we just talked about our specialists. We have a good team here; we just have to keep playing and playing well."
Q: Andre James talked yesterday about you still being in the offensive linemen room, and that you pumped them up with your attack, attack, attack, mentality. How have you enjoyed sitting in with those guys?
Coach Pierce: "I love the big boys, man. Because like I said again, being a former player, you understood what was in front of me was my protection. And when I watched these guys, and when I watched what I saw the other night, what I think the world saw with our offensive line -- their mindset; when they make up their mind they want to come off the ball and tee off and protect the quarterback, we can. And it's good to be there with those guys because they never get talked about, right? Jermaine [Eluemunor] doesn't get talked about -- all of them. Andre [James], only time they get talked about it when they make a mistake. But nobody talks about the game they just had the other day and how they protected their quarterback, and we ran the ball. But also, I need to get to know their terminology. I mean, I'm in a foreign class where I have my notebook out, I'm going to on my Master’s here; it's French and Italian all mixed in one. So, just getting the language from our offense and understanding how brilliant the psyche of our line. I want to know what are they really thinking, what's their mentality, what's their thought process and that's working."
Q: You mentioned Robert Spillane the other day playing after getting surgery. And we talked to him, he was like: "Yeah, that's what you do." Is that just born in somebody, how does that develop?
Coach Pierce: "Yeah listen, he called me right away after it happened, he was a little drowsy, and then he called me back and asked me if it was real. I said: 'It was real.' And he said: 'I'll be there tomorrow,' and then he showed up on Sunday. So those are kind of guys you got -- if you get men like that, I'm not going to say every guy's going be built that way, but if you have enough of them, and they have that mindset, now he can start to use his tentacles and use that on other people and spread that message and spread really that that physical toughness and that mindset that he had. And he's a lunch pail guy, look where he's come from -- the bottom, and he's one of the leaders and captains of our team and he's a great one."
Q: How ready are Luke Masterson and Divine Deablo to get back into the mix and possibly be ready for the Jets?
Coach Pierce: "It's good, they both had good weeks of practice, are ready to go. It's good to have a full group there, there's has been kind of a Rolodex in that room the last two weeks with injuries. But the one thing about our team is what I've seen in our staff, is they're willing to get out there. They're willing to fight through injuries and pains and nicks. You'll never be 100 percent until we get back in January in the offseason. So, for our guys, just to get them out there and to have that unit be a glue again, it's really good for our defense."
Q: You talked about the offensive line earlier. How deep is that line? If Kolton Miller, a foundation piece at left tackle, can't go, how can that offensive line potentially handle that?
Coach Pierce: "Yeah, part of our process here the last couple of days is just 'next man up' mentality. So, if it isn't Kolton Miller, it'll be the next gentleman up. Obviously, everybody's been practicing the right way, so if that comes to fruition and we have to move on from Kolton to somebody else, we're not going to blink, and they're not going to blink. And we expect him to do the exact same job Kolton Miller does. And when Kolton Miller goes in here, and he's in there, he's going be Kolton Miller. So, we're fine. No panic. Nobody's over here worried about what's going to happen with Kolton if he's in or not."
The Silver and Black will remain at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to take on the New York Jets on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 8:20 p.m. EST/5:20 p.m. PST.
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