Oliveira most outstanding

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This article was published 25/10/2023 (718 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For the first time in franchise history, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ nominee for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award is a hometown product.

It was announced Wednesday running back Brady Oliveira, the 26-year-old Winnipegger who leads the league in rushing and all-purpose yards, narrowly edged out quarterback Zach Collaros to be recognized as the team’s MOP for the 2023 campaign. Oliveira was also the unaminous choice for the Bombers’ Most Outstanding Canadian (MOC).

Defensive end Willie Jefferson (Most Outstanding Defensive Player), right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick (Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman), kicker Sergio Castillo (Most Outstanding Special Teams Player), and punter Jamieson Sheahan (Most Outstanding Rookie) also earned recognition for their contributions to the Blue and Gold this season.

The voting was conducted by four media members from the local chapter of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea.

“I never in a million years thought this day would come,” Oliveira said after Wednesday’s closed practice at IG Field. The Bombers (13-4) fly to Calgary Thursday to take on the Stampeders (6-11) Friday night to close out the regular season.

“Obviously, being a Canadian, there’s aspirations of, ‘Go get that Most Outstanding Canadian nod.’ That was kind of maybe what I was aiming for this season… Obviously, going up against a guy like (Nic) Demski, that guy’s a stud and he easily could’ve got the honour as well. But most outstanding player, especially for a team like this where it could’ve gone to a group of guys that truly deserve it… I never thought this was going to happen.”

Shortly after the former Oak Park High School standout got the call, he FaceTimed his mother.

“She was shocked as well. We kind of had some conversations throughout the year about the way I was playing and maybe (being) in the MOC conversation, but MOP, we had no idea about,” said Oliveira, who was drafted in the second round of the 2019 CFL Draft out of the University of North Dakota.

“She works at Winners and she gets people coming up to her every single day about the way I’ve been playing or she gets newspaper articles that people drop off for her, so she’s very proud and now she can go back to work and brag some more after hearing the news today.”

It shouldn’t come as a total shock as Oliveira has the numbers to warrant the selection.

His 1,498 rushing yards are the second most by a Canadian in a season (Calgary tailback Jon Cornish set the record in 2013 with 1,813 yards), and he’s just 20 yards away from reaching 2,000 all-purpose yards on the year as he also has 482 receiving yards. Oliveira also leads all players with 14 combined touchdowns.

“He’s been on a historical pace and does it all for us in terms of not only running with the style that we enjoy here, but his protection has been excellent and he’s great out of the backfield catching the football and generating yards after the catch. There isn’t anything we can’t ask him to do,” said O’Shea.

“I think he happens to be from here and plays for his hometown team. I think that’s the neat story, it doesn’t happen very often. But I think everybody understands that he could be in this position by the way he plays football and the professionalism with how he approaches things. The interesting and rare part is that he’s from here.”

It was one of the most debated votes in club history as Collaros, the reigning, two-time CFL MOP, enjoyed another brilliant season that saw him at or near the top of most quarterback statistical categories.

“Yeah, we haven’t had a conversation (about the award), but he’s my MOP. The guy is a stud,” said Oliveira.

“His process, the way he handles himself as a pro, that’s my MOP right there and he’s gonna continue to play lights out football for us and we’re gonna need him down the stretch to come out, compete, and win us games in the post-season and go win that cup.”

Oliveira is the first Canadian to represent the Bombers in the MOP race since Jamaal Westerman in 2015 and the first running back to do so since Chad Simpson in 2012.

A Canadian hasn’t won the league’s most presitigious individual award since Cornish did it in 2013. For Oliveira to follow suit, he’ll have to beat out B.C. Lions quarterback Vernon Adams, Stamps receiver Reggie Begelton, Edmonton Elks quarterback Tre Ford, and Saskatchewan Roughriders linebacker Larry Dean for the West Division award. The East Division representatives feature Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly, Hamilton Tiger-Cats receiver Tim White, Ottawa Redblacks running back Devonte Williams, and Montreal Alouettes receiver Austin Mack.

“Brady has led us on the field, off the field. Brady’s been everything, plus more, that we expected,” said Hardrick.

“He’s given us everything.”

The division winners will be unveiled next week. The CFL awards take place during Grey Cup week.

“It’s going to be fun to see how far Brady goes with that,” said Jefferson.

“I hope and pray that he wins, and if he does, it’s going to be a great time for him this year. Him being a Canadian, being in his third or fourth year in this league, coming out of his shell and really being a dynamic player in this league, it’s well deserved.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

X: @taylorallen31