The ‘real’ Nic Demski steps forward

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This article was published 27/07/2018 (2600 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IT was night of vindication for Blue Bombers slotback Nic Demski Friday night.

The 25-year-old Winnipeg product torched the Toronto Argonauts on a 42-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Matt Nichols and scampered 28 yards down the sideline after a handoff for another major, all before halftime, as the Bombers rolled to a 40-14 victory at Investors Group Field.

Demski, who tipped a ball that resulted in a crucial interception by Anthony Orange in a Week 5 loss to the B.C. Lions and also coughed up a fumble that resulted in an 87-yard return for a TD by Toronto’s Jermaine Gabriel during Week 6, was ecstatic after the win, which pushed the Bombers to 4-3 heading into a bye week.

“Yeah, I mean, I talk about it all the time,” said Demski. “I try to turn all my negatives into positives. I was just trying to stay focused, make plays (and) put my team in a position to win. It worked out pretty good today.”

It was the University of Manitoba grad’s first multi-touchdown game in his four seasons as a professional.

Demski finished the game with five catches for a team-high 82 yards and added three carries for 34 yards on the ground. He has season totals of 28 catches for 267 yards and 16 carries for 116 yards in seven games.

“You see it, three carries, five catches, I mean, however the ball gets into my hands or however they want the ball to get in my hands I’m down for it,” said Demski. “I just want to be versatile and I just want to make plays. If I’ve gotta block, if I’ve gotta catch, I want to do it all. It’s fun out there. Especially with eight touches in a game, two touchdowns; I’ll take it.”

Nichols raved about his multi-tasking teammate after the game.

“Unbelievable game; the touchdown I threw him was not totally how that route’s designed,” said Nichols. “He just saw the same thing I was seeing and did a great job running it down. That was just him making a football play.

“(And) again later with the touchdown run, I saw him cut back off the first guy… my mind instantly goes to what were we going to call on first and 10 from the 15. All of a sudden he tight-roped all the way in. The guy made some unbelievable plays tonight. I really think he’s having a breakout season right now.”

Demski was asked to account for his post-touchdown celebration, which was a departure from some of his teammates who usually choose to leap into the end zone seats to whoop it up with fans following a Winnipeg touchdown.

On Friday, Demski chose to walk up the ground-level stairs before basking in the adulation of IGF fans.

“I’m not going to lie, man, the stairs were just right there,” said Demski with a laugh. “It seemed like it was a lot more convenient, it seemed like it was going to save my body a little bit. So I just took the stairs.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @sawa14