Oliveira throwing his weight around Big RB has become the bell cow Blue were looking for By: Joshua Frey-Sam Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Monday, Aug. 8, 2022

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/08/2022 (1368 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was the evening of July 15, Bombers hosting Stampeders, when Kevin Bourgoin pulled Brady Oliveira aside.

Bourgoin, the team’s running backs coach from 2017-2021 before moving to receivers coach this season, stepped out of his new role momentarily to have a few words with the player he had worked with so closely for the first two years of Oliveira’s pro career.

The conversation on the sideline at IG Field was short, but it was branded with a comment from the coach that would soon change the outlook for the third-year back: “Just be yourself. We know the type of runner you are. You’re a big back, just hit (the hole).”

“I really needed to hear that,” Oliveira said.

Oliveira, 24, finished the game with nine carries for a dismal eight rushing yards, dumping more fuel on the already raging fire of criticism directed at him, but the brief exchange allowed Oliveira to realize he had drifted away from his physical brand.

Two weeks later, after an encouraging 62 rushing yards on 13 carries against Edmonton, Oliveira erupted for 110 rushing yards against the Stamps, a breakout game that produced his highest rushing output since Week 15 of 2021.

He proved it wasn’t a fluke the next week. His encore performance came Thursday against the Alouettes at Molson Stadium, where he churned out another 92 yards on the ground and added 35 yards through the air.

Looking like a man possessed at times, the 5-10 215 pound back quickly reminded critics why the Bombers drafted him 14th overall in 2019 and entrusted him to help replace Andrew Harris.

“I’m sticking to it and everyone here believes in me,” Oliveira said after practice on Monday.

“I can definitely start to feel (more confidence) while I’m in the huddle … just the chemistry that I’m building with those guys up front. I noticed that probably going into the (Week 8) Calgary game and especially last game – just in the huddle, that strong belief that they’re going to ride with me and I’m going to ride with them.”

“I can definitely start to feel (more confidence) while I’m in the huddle … just the chemistry that I’m building with those guys up front.” – Brady Oliveira

What’s raised more eyebrows is Oliveira’s workload the past two weeks. While it was hammered home throughout training camp and in the early weeks of the season that the Harris-less running game would work by committee with Oliveira and Johnny Augustine working in tandem, the former has flown solo in recent weeks.

Oliveira has 35 touches in the last two games. Augustine has none.

Oliveira isn’t complaining, of course.

“It allows me to get into a rhythm. With me being the size of back that I am, I need to be in the game and I need to be able to get hit, to give hits out, catch the ball, do all of those things,” he said.

Oliveira made sure to give a bouquet to his offensive lineman. In his view, the big boys up front have taken a stride in the right direction in each game since Chris Kolankowski was entrenched in the starting five to, replacing the injured Michael Couture.

“We’re not really changing anything, it’s just as a unit, throwing me in the mix the last couple of weeks now, the running backs are getting used to the new shuffle. I think we’re just clicking as a unit but that’s always been our goal and now that it’s clicking, we’re definitely happy with how it’s going,” Kolankowski said.

“The part that we love is once (Oliveira) gets through that first level — once he lowers the pads — we’re hearing that contact. He’s delivering the blow. He’s not getting hit, he’s making the hit while he’s running with the ball.”

Now, seemingly with the keys to the car, Oliveira will have a chance to carve out a similar bell cow role as his once-mentor Harris had and hush his critics.

“In this day and age, it’s hard not to see the criticism, right? Me being a hometown guy, it means a lot more to me than most guys. And the fact that there are people in my home city that don’t believe in me and that want to see other people in there because they don’t think that I can do it, yeah, it upsets me,” Oliveira said.

“I’m a north-and-south physical runner and when I do that, I gotta trust and know that the big plays will come … I just gotta stick to the Brady brand of football.”

---

Ellingson back practising

Bombers receiver Greg Ellingson resumed practise in pads in a limited capacity Monday.

The ninth-year pro has missed the team’s last three games with a hip injury sustained in Week 6 against the Stampeders.

The last time Ellingson took the field, he was awarded CFL’s performer of the week honours.

Ellingson had been quarterback Zach Collaros’ favourite target this season, leading the league in receptions (34) and receiving yards (518) before he was injured.

His status for Thursday’s game against the Montreal Alouettes is unknown.

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jfreysam