A couple years ago, when they were backups to one of the greatest running backs in Canadian history, Johnny Augustine and Brady Olveira looked at one another and mused about the future.
“It’s funny because me and Brady talked about it a couple years ago, when Andrew (Harris) was here, saying ‘Hey, maybe it’s gonna be our show one day,’” Augustine said Wednesday after the Bombers held a closed practice at IG Field.
Note that he used the word “our.”
Even then, when they were competing for touches as backups, Oliveira and Augustine were already focused on working together to do the best job possible.
During the 2022 season, they’ve taken it to a new level, sharing the backfield for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and doing their part in getting the team to a 5-0 record.
“I set a goal this year to not look at any individual stats at all,” Oliveira said. “But when we get that big number of total rushing, that’s what I’ll look at. When we get over 120 total rushing yards, that’s a great game and we get the W, that’s all that matters.”
Last Saturday in Vancouver, the Bombers put up 141 rushing yards in a 43-22 drubbing of the B.C. Lions.
Augustine had 12 carries for 57 yards, Oliveira had seven for 39 and slotback/tailback Greg McCrae had three for 27. Short yardage quarterback Dru Brown also had 10 yards.
It was Winnipeg’s best performance of the year on the ground and it was owed to a strong game from the offensive line and the variety of looks that came with three different players running the ball.
“We have a great balance and we’re utilizing everybody,” Augustine said.
“I think our offensive coaching staff does a great job of seeing that Brady is good at certain things, I’m good at certain things, Greg’s good at certain things, and blending that all together to put defences on their toes. We showed that against B.C., and I think utilizing that throughout the season is gonna be something that helps our team.”
It’s plainly apparent that Oliveira, a 24-year-old from Winnipeg, and Augustine, a 29-year-old from Welland, Ont., are good friends, who are supportive of one another in doing the same job.
“He’s a brother to me,” Oliveira said. “I’ve known him for quite some time, and I love seeing the work that he puts in.
“I’ll tell you this. You’ve got fresh legs whenever you go into the game. We talked during the game in B.C., about how we were starting to get into a rhythm and then you put another back in there and it throws that defence off. Johnny and I are obviously different types of runners and it does throw off a defence. So what we’ve got going on is great.”
Bombers offensive co-ordinator and running backs coach Buck Pierce finally saw some results from the ground game in B.C., after four average outputs to start the season. The Bombers put up just 50 rushing yards in Week 1, 115 in Week 2, 87 in Week 3, and 60 in Week 4.
“The plan since Day 1 was to continue to let those guys get more and more comfortable,” Pierce said Wednesday. “I think you saw that on Saturday. The guys ran hard, the guys up front did an excellent job, winning the line of scrimmage, and hopefully we’ll continue to build on those kinds of things. To have three guys that are able to do that, it was good for us.
“The idea of having multiple guys that can carry the ball and be effective for you is very intriguing.”
Oliveira played in a similar multi-back system at the University of North Dakota for four years, so this is nothing new to him. He hasn’t personally lit the CFL on fire so far this year and seeing Augustine get more touches last week could be an indication of how things will go in the future.
However, there don’t seem to be any egos involved in all this.
McCrae even took a couple handoffs from the tailback position last week, adding to the versatility of the Bombers’ offence.
“It’s just giving us more options, to be more dynamic, and utilize our special skill sets that we bring to the table,” Oliveira said. “We have so many skilled and talented players on this team and Greg is obviously one of them. You see him when he touches the ball, he’s gonna make something happen just with his pure speed that you see.”
The Bombers will face their toughest test of the season, so far, when the 4-0 Calgary Stampeders come to town Friday night for a game at IG Field.
Calgary has a strong running game, led by American Ka’Deem Carey (second in league with 269 yards) and a run defence that sits fifth in the league.
With Canadian Brendan O’Leary-Orange going on the six-game injured list Wednesday — he was hurt in the win over B.C. — things are getting thin for the Bombers at slotback.
McCrae will almost certainly get another opportunity there, while Canadian Luke McMillan, signed this week from the Winnipeg Rifles junior program, could get onto the roster.
“I’ve moved around, different spots,” McCrae said this week. “I’m comfortable anywhere. Just waiting for that opportunity, wherever they want me to be.
“I’m studying all the plays, every position every week, just making sure I’m ready for whenever my number’s called.”
Augustine knows the running game drew some criticism in the first four games of the season but he believes the offensive line and the tailbacks were in sync against the Lions and will be again as the season goes on.
“You hear a lot of the chatter,” Augusinte said.
“But we know what we’ve got going on. At the end of the day, why am I gonna look at stats, when we have the win? That’s the most important part of this.”
Twitter.com/Ted_Wyman
Post a Comment