The Winnipeg Blue Bombers could be without Canadian running back Brady Oliveira for the next several weeks, but he might not be the best homegrown runner on the roster.
That’s according to head coach Mike O’Shea, who offered some high praise earlier this week when asked how good veteran receiver Nic Demski could have been if he stayed a running back for his entire career.
“Tons of production, great out of the backfield,” he smirked. “Probably a 1,000/1,000 guy.”
No player in CFL history has ever managed 1,000 receiving yards and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season. The closest was Winnipeg running back Andrew Harris in 2017, when he ran for 1,035 yards and hauled in another 857 yards through the air. His successor, Oliveira, accomplished what Harris couldn’t by becoming the fourth Canadian player to win Most Outstanding Player, but maxed out at just 482 receiving yards in 2023.
Like both Oliveira and Harris, Demski grew up playing running back at Oak Park High School in Winnipeg and was an Offensive Player of the Year winner. He formally converted to slotback after committing to the University of Manitoba, but has still carried the football on occasion in the pros, rushing for 828 yards and four touchdowns on 128 attempts.
Now in his 10th CFL season, that versatility has been paramount to his success.
“He’s very smart, and he understands the game. He sees it extremely well, and you can ask him to do a lot of different things,” O’Shea said. “His body type and his athleticism are such that he could do a lot of different things for you, not only on offence, but special teams too. You can ask him to do some things for you, and we don’t necessarily right now, but you’re very confident in his ability to go out there and get the job done. (Demski has) a much deeper level of understanding than a lot of guys on how you win in the CFL, how you win your rep, and how you play offence.”
Despite his other skills, Demski’s prowess remains as a receiver, and he added another pair of touchdowns in last week’s home opener. The four-time West Division all-star has amassed 431 receptions for 5,337 yards and 37 majors across 137 CFL appearances.
After back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons, O’Shea doesn’t see any signs of Demski slowing down.
“I think he’s still committed to the process of getting better. If you watched him sitting there in a meeting, he’s really attentive, he’s asking questions, he’s making sure he’s going to go out and do the right thing,” he said. “He’s not happy when it doesn’t look the way it’s supposed to look. He’s continuing or trying to get better all the time. You can’t be that good and ever think you’ve arrived.”
So long as Demski keeps striving for receiving excellence, that will leave the running back slot open for rookies Matthew Peterson and Quinton Cooley when the Bombers return to the field against the B.C. Lions on Saturday, June 21.
