Leading the CFL in rushing, former UND running back Brady Oliveira receives Blue Bombers honor
Oct. 27—GRAND FORKS — Former UND running back Brady Oliveira is putting together an historic season in the CFL, and he's now received a top team honor.
Earlier this week, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced Oliveira is the team's recipient of the Most Outstanding Player award.
The voting was conducted by members of the local chapter of the Football Reporters of Canada and the league's head coaches.
The next round of voting for the CFL awards will see the West and East Division winners announced, followed by the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Awards announced during Grey Cup week in Hamilton.
Oliveira leads the CFL in rushing with 1,498 yards and nine touchdowns and has added another 482 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
His 1,980 yards from scrimmage lead the CFL.
Oliveira's 1,498 rushing yards are the second-most by a Canadian in league history, behind only the 1,813 yards Jon Cornish amassed in 2013.
Oliveira has averaged 88.1 yards rushing per game and has seven 100-yard performances this season, both also league highs.
These are the first team awards for the 26-year-old, now in his second year as the club's feature back. He was selected by the Blue Bombers in the second round (14th overall) in the 2019 CFL Draft.
Oliveira, who signed autographs for fans before UND's win over North Dakota State earlier this month at the Alerus Center, finished his UND career as the program's seventh all-time leading rusher with 2,822 yards.
He earned all-Big Sky Conference honors in 2016 and 2017, then played in 2018 when UND was independent and unable to collect league honors.
The Blue Bombers are eyeing another postseason run. Winnipeg closed the regular season on Friday at Calgary.
Oliveira, a two-time Grey Cup champion (2019, 2021) was also announced as a finalist for the Jake Gaudaur Veterans' Award, the Canadian Football League said Thursday afternoon. He is one of nine Canadians to be listed as a finalist.
Presented annually since 2010, the Jake Gaudaur Veterans' Award recognizes a Canadian CFL player who best demonstrates the attributes of Canada's veterans: Strength, perseverance, courage, comradeship and contribution to Canadian communities.
The award is named in the honor of the late Jake Gaudaur, a distinguished veteran of the Second World War and the longest-serving Commissioner in CFL history, who embodied these qualities through his service to the country and the Canadian football community.
This year's recipient of the Jake Gaudaur Veterans' Award will be named at the CFL Awards in Niagara Falls, Ontario, on Nov. 16 as part of the 2023 Grey Cup Festival from Nov. 13-19.
The 110th Grey Cup will be played in Hamilton at Tim Hortons Field on Nov. 19 at 5 p.m.
