WINNIPEG 鈥� Brady Oliveira is happy to return to action, but not with the role he鈥檚 been handed.
The Blue Bombers鈥� star running back will be backing up Johnny Augustine when Winnipeg (0-2) hosts the B.C. Lions (1-1) Friday.
If it was up to last year鈥檚 CFL top Canadian and runner-up for most outstanding player, he鈥檇 be starting as he鈥檚 feeling good after missing the last game with a knee injury.
鈥淚鈥檓 a competitor, man,鈥� Oliveira said after Thursday鈥檚 walk-through practice. 鈥淚鈥檝e been the starter the last two years here, right? I鈥檝e earned that so, yeah.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 make those decisions, though. But I鈥檓 excited, man, I鈥檓 ready to go.鈥�
Oliveira appeared more disappointed than angry with the change.
鈥淩ight now, they have Johnny No. 1 on the depth chart so (head coach Mike O鈥橲hea) made that decision,鈥� he said.
鈥淪o if that鈥檚 what鈥檚 best for the team, that鈥檚 what鈥檚 best for the team. I鈥檓 ready to go. I鈥檓 locked in. I鈥檓 dialled. I鈥檓 fired up, man.鈥�
Oliveira missed all of training camp with an off-season injury. He played the first regular-season game, rushing 11 times for 38 yards in a 27-12 loss to the Montreal Alouettes.
He then missed last week鈥檚 23-19 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks with a knee injury and didn鈥檛 practise at all heading into the match against the Lions.
鈥淲e did put him in in that Week 1 game and it didn鈥檛 look the way Brady would have wanted it to look, and it certainly is not the way we wanted it to look,鈥� O鈥橲hea said.
鈥淪o we're using a different approach this week. We鈥檙e trying to ease him into it.
鈥淎nd then the second part of that is, Johnny鈥檚 carried the load all through training camp. He鈥檚 taken all the reps and deserves the chance to step out there and do more.鈥�
Augustine has nine carries for 46 yards and two touchdowns through two games.
Oliveira will 鈥渇or sure鈥� be used in the game, O鈥橲hea said.
It鈥檚 not just Winnipeg鈥檚 running game that will be under scrutiny against the Lions.
All three phases of the team hasn't performed like a squad that鈥檚 went to the past four Grey Cup games and won in 2019 and 鈥�21.
Winnipeg sits last in the league for points scored (31) and net offence (593 yards). It鈥檚 eighth in allowing an average of 101 yards rushing per game and tied for fourth in fewest opposition points allowed (50).
Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros has thrown zero TDs and three interceptions.
Both the offensive and defensive lines have two new starters, while there are also new faces in the secondary, receiving corps and the return game.
Winnipeg also now has eight players on the six-game injured list.
鈥淏e patient,鈥� veteran offensive tackle Stanley Bryant said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been a good team the last four, five, six years.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little different this year so far, but we鈥檙e going to put it together. We鈥檙e going to find a way to go out and get a victory.鈥�
Winnipeg hadn鈥檛 opened a season 0-2 since 2016. The last time the team started 0-3 was in 2012, when it went 0-4 before its first win.
B.C. Lions quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. isn鈥檛 going into Friday鈥檚 match overly confident.
鈥淒on鈥檛 look at their record or anything like that,鈥� Adams said earlier in the week. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a good team with a good system over there so it鈥檚 always a battle when we鈥檝e got to go over there.鈥�
Lions head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell is taking the same approach, even though the Bombers have been hit with injuries.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e still really good,鈥� Campbell said. 鈥淚 find in this league right now all nine teams are very close and all the games seem to be really close. It seems to be who makes plays in the fourth quarter to win the game.鈥�
B.C. LIONS (1-1) AT WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (0-2)
Friday, Princess Auto Stadium.
BACK IN THE FOLD: Chris Smith will return kicks for the Bombers. He was released following an injury at training camp and then picked up again.
The rookie running back returned a punt 109 yards for a touchdown in Winnipeg鈥檚 second pre-season game, but the job was given to receiver Myron Mitchell, who鈥檚 now on the practice roster.
COACHING MILESTONE: O鈥橲hea will coach his 161st Blue Bombers game Friday, surpassing the franchise鈥檚 all-time record for games coached by the legendary Bud Grant.
Grant hold the franchise record for all-time wins with 102. O鈥橲hea has 96 heading into Friday鈥檚 game.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2024.
Judy Owen, The Canadian Press
