Humble Holm deflects defensive accolades

It was painful for Evan Holm to be thrust into the spotlight for personal praise.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced their team winners early Wednesday morning, with the fourth-year defenseman named Most Outstanding Defensive Player for the first time in his career.

Voted by four local Football Reporters of Canada members and head coach Mike O'Shea.

NICK ADAM / FREE PRESS FILES

Evan Holm was named the Blue Bombers' Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday.

“I’m not the biggest fan of the media and cameras and stuff,” Holm said while speaking to reporters after Wednesday’s closed practice.

“It's cool, but it's just something somebody said. It's cool, and I'm honored to be chosen and everything, but, yeah, I guess it's just not my vibe.”

Other winners were running back Brady Oliveira (Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian), left tackle Stanley Bryant (Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman) and returner Trey Vaval (Most Outstanding Special Teams Player and Most Outstanding Rookie).

It may have made the Edina, Minn., team uncomfortable, but Holm was an appropriate choice considering he leads the club with four interceptions and ranks second in defensive tackles with 53.

“Last year I had (zero interceptions). That's one thing: I wanted to finish the game, make plays and actually catch the ball, and I did that a little better this year,” Holm said.

“It was decent, but I think it could have been better.”

Holm's teammates were much more generous in their praise for his performance.

“Evan Holm is the best linebacker in the CFL. That's my dude,” Vaval said. “The speed that he tracks balls, tracks receivers, it's amazing. I love watching him play. Smart guy, taught me how to play defense and everything, so yeah, happy for him. He deserves it.”

It's not surprising that if Holm had had his way, the award would have gone to someone else in the fringe.

“I talk about Detrick Nichols all the time, I think he's amazing, but without Redha (Crumdy), I don't think our defense would perform the same,” said Holm, a fifth-year senior from Canada.

“He's like a defender for us and he plays too. He can be in coverage, he can be in the box and control the movement there. He would be my choice.”

No one can dispute Vaval's double nod. He was a unanimous pick in both of his categories and has a legitimate chance to bring home a league-wide trophy or two when the CFL Player Awards ceremony takes place Nov. 13 at the Club Regent Event Center during the Gray Cup celebrations in Winnipeg.

The 25-year-old from Minnesota Mankato leads the league in punt return yards (957), punt return yards (391, a new Bombers record) and punt return yards (four).

“A year ago I was laying on the couch and not playing. So it's surreal – I'm not even talking about the award, just just being here and playing,” Vaval said. “There are guys who aren't playing, sitting on the couch or injured like Dalton Sean. He wishes he were playing right now. Awards are cool and all, but just playing the game and being here with my teammates means more to me than anything else.”

It's also no surprise that Oliveira has been recognized for the third year in a row. The 28-year-old Winnipegger had another stellar campaign, leading the CFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,709 and setting career highs in receptions (61) and receptions (546) despite playing only one pass in the first three games of the year due to a shoulder injury.

Oliveira is the current CFL MOP and MOC, but is unlikely to repeat given the year BC Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke had.

“Amazing, man. It speaks volumes about the work I've put in here and in the offseason. But most importantly, I think it says a lot about this locker room and the guys that I come to work with every single day,” Oliveira said.

“I don’t want to say it’s been a good run because there’s a lot more in me, but we’re going to keep it going.”

It's almost a yearly guarantee that Bryant will be named the best blocker on the team. This is his seventh win, and on four of those occasions he received the CFL Most Outstanding Lineman award. Bryant, one of the best to ever do it, is still finding success at 39 years old.