ALAMEDA – The start of Raiders practices is a lot louder with Brad Roll around.
Roll, the Raiders' new strength and conditioning coach, has a voice that booms out instructions during team stretches.
But what makes Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin happy is that Roll's message is getting through – loud and clear – to players before they take the field.
Roll replaced Jeff Fish, who left to become the director of athletic performance for the Atlanta Falcons. Roll comes to the Raiders from the St. Louis Rams.
Besides having the ability to yell instructions loud enough for nearly 80 men on a football field to hear, Roll has several Raiders looking different and feeling stronger.
Kiffin noted the physical improvement of several players this offseason. More Raiders are setting personal bests in the weight room and credit Roll with the progress.
Raiders wide receiver Ronald Curry played quarterback and basketball in college at North Carolina and had little experience in the weight room.
"I never took the weight room too seriously. I would do just enough," Curry said after a workout last month. "But Kiffin wanted me to get in there and really hit the weights, and coach Roll was really a blessing for me."
Curry said the plan has helped drop weight. He was about 206 pounds during organized team activities and figures to play at about 200 pounds this season.
Curry is listed at 210 pounds. Roll's program is already paying dividends, even though Curry missed a lot of offseason workouts recovering from surgery to remove bone spurs from his left foot.
"He got me on my own little plan as far as upper body, lower body, and it's really helped me out," Curry said. "I can feel the difference in my legs, and when I go to block somebody, just me grabbing somebody, I can feel how much stronger I got."
Other players coming off injuries have benefited from Roll.
Kiffin has noted the improved strength of defensive tackle Tommy Kelly and center Jake Grove, who look noticeably bigger from working under Roll.
Kelly figures to anchor the middle of the Raiders' defense. Grove's chances of fulfilling the promise the Raiders had for him as a second-round pick in 2004 could improve with his newfound strength.
Grove has been recovering from offseason knee surgery.
Kiffin said Grove's "upper body's gotten a lot stronger, stronger than he's been since he's been here, and we're excited about him."
"Jake's doing extremely well with what he can do as far as the weight room and rehab, and we've got a lot of expectations for Jake to come in, battle for the starting spot there at center initially," Kiffin said.
Reporting earlier
Players will report to training camp at the Napa Valley Marriott on July 23, two days earlier than previously planned. The first practice will be July 24.
Read Jason Jones' Raiders blog at www.sacbee.com/blogs.
