Brisiel a teacher on Raiders O-line

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ALAMEDA -- The key to the Raiders successfully switching back to a zone-blocking scheme this season under returning offensive coordinator Greg Knapp?Look no further than right guard. That's where Mike Brisiel, who is intimately familiar with the system after running with it for five seasons in Houston, is setting up shop for the Raiders."Yeah, its an offensive lineman-friendly scheme," Brisiel said recently. "We work the ball around, not all seven-step drops. You dont have to hold up all the time for pass protection. All offensive linemen like the run-first mentality, so thats good."Even as there are new wrinkles to it."Every coach has their things that they like to stick to," Brisiel added. "Coach Knapp is no different. He has a little bit different mentality than Coach (Gary) Kubiak. But the base plays, schematically its kind of the same. But terminology has changed a little bit. Everybody is picking it up good. Its awesome because everybody is so hungry to succeed and working their butts off."Perhaps none hungrier than Brisiel himself.Besides knowing he is being counted on to help the offensive line with the transition, Brisiel was one of the first "name" free agents to sign with the new regime of general manager Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen, inking his contract on March 16 for a reported five years and 20 million.This after breaking his right leg last Dec. 11 and finishing the game. Brisiel did, however, miss the Texans' next three games before returning for the playoffs.A hamstring issue kept the 6-foot-5, 300-pound veteran out of the Raiders' first OTA session, but he was back for Week 2. Just in time for his new linemates to lean on him for knowledge in a more practical setting, even if it was just in helmets and shorts."Its good if they have any questions," he said. "Im familiar with the scheme so they can bounce anything theyve got to ask me, bounce it off me. I get to tell them a little bit and then we can go try it out on the field."As an offensive lineman we really have a good core (of) plays we run. Everything is kind of, Im trying to explain this right, everything is based on a certain thing that we stick to. We stick to our base plays, but a lot of different formations and what not. Really, as an offensive lineman, our base mentality stays the same for most of the run plays."Perhaps Brisiel's biggest pupil, literally and figuratively, is the Raiders' top draft pick as Tony Bergstrom learns how to play left guard and compete with 12-year vet Cooper Carlisle after lining up at right tackle in college at Utah."Good guy," Brisiel said of the rookie. "Keeps his mouth shut. Comes to work every day. Hes going to succeed."Talent, of course, rules the day, and Brisiel was an integral part of a Texans rushing attack that was second in the NFL in rushing with 150 yards per game. In Houston, he blocked for Arian Foster. In Oakland, it will be for Darren McFadden.And both Brisiel and McFadden know Knapp well."Hes a heck of a coach," Brisiel said of Knapp. "Hes very knowledgeable about the system. Hes been in it a long time. The mental aspect of the game, he explains everything very simple where you can understand it."Playbooks are pretty fat in the NFLhe just does a good job of making it understandable. Ive been with coaches that are all X's and O's. He incorporates a lot of things and he makes it easy to pick upCoach Knapps main thing is, he understands physical mistakes but he doesnt really tolerate the mental (mistake) so you have to get into your book and show him you understand the plays and are getting better. You never make a mistake twice. Hes just a really good players coach."Some would say Brisiel is a coach in the trenches.

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