Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders offensive tackle Kolton Miller (74) provides protection for quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) during an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

UCLA's Kolton Miller, Raiders on Verge of Culture Change

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Brock Vierra | Last updated May 4, 2025 5:55 PM ET

UCLA alum Kolton Miller hasn't experienced a ton of team success during his seven years in the NFL. In fact, it's been minimal at best due to ineptitude throughout the organization.

However, things are changing for Miller and the Raiders under new head coach Pete Carroll, as Rich Eisen spoke about the elements that make Carroll unique and successful.

When Carroll who is about to turn 74 during the 2025 season, was named Raiders' head coach, the move caught many by surprise. Not only was he a complete 180 from the typical coach that the Raiders have hired in the 21st century, he's also the oldest coach in the NFL and will become the oldest coach in NFL history in a few months.

After departing from the Seahawks, Carroll returned to USC, the school with which he won national championships, and became a professor. Eisen got a chance to sit in on one of Carroll's final lectures.

"I have never witnessed in two hours what I witnessed in Pete Carroll's class, 'The Game is Life,'" Eisen said.

Eisen stated that Carroll's class was about teaching "being true to one's self, learning who you are as a person, being empathetic and sympathetic, and being open and sharing with others about your world, your mindset, and your abilities to connect with yourself and show emotion, be emotional, and being comfortable with knowing who you are. And if that is who you are as a person, it can be a powerful way to connect with other people and create a team environment."

The Raiders have had four different head coaches during Miller's time in Las Vegas and the one coach he has had the most success with was interim head coach Rich Bisaccia. Unlike Jon Gruden who is aggressive and a disciplinarian, Josh McDaniels, who comes from "the Patriot way" or Antonio Pierce, who had his own style of things, Bisaccia was a teacher who emphasized appreciation for his players and a positive mindset overall.

Under Bisaccia, the Raiders rallied in the second half of the 2021 season after the controversial departures of Gruden, Damon Arnette, and Henry Ruggs to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers in the regular season finale to make the playoffs, the second time the Raiders have done so since 2002.

Bisaccia was not retained and the team has suffered because of it.

Pete Carroll is bringing back the elements that allowed Miller and the Raiders to be great.

With a new culture, new weapons, and a new era of Raiders football shining upon him, expect the UCLA Bruin to anchor a premier offensive line in Las Vegas.