Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira named outstanding player and top Canadian
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VANCOUVER — Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. was named the league’s most outstanding defensive player during the CFL player awards ceremony Thursday night.
“It feels great getting the recognition for all the work I put in coming from the injury and becoming a better version of myself this season,” said Milligan, who missed 14 games last season with a toe injury.
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“Once I realized I would be fine, it was just making sure that once I started training I had to lock back in and be who I am.”
Saskatchewan’s Corey Mace and Logan Ferland were runners-up in their categories — coach-of-the-year and offensive lineman — as voted upon by the Football Reporters of Canada. They lost respectively to Montreal Alouettes head coach Jason Maas and guard/tackle Ryan Hunter of the Toronto Argonauts, who will meet the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 111th Grey Cup game Sunday inside BC Place Stadium.
Roughriders long snapper Jorgen Hus received the 2024 Jake Gaudaur Veterans Award for demonstrating strength, perseverance, courage and contributing to his community. Since the beginning of 2023, Jus has made 127 school presentations as part of the Win with Wellness and Rider Reading programs. Former Roughriders Brayden Lenius and Dan Clark were the two previous winners.
“It says a lot about the foundation and it says a lot about the guys who came before,” said Hus. “It’s a total team effort and we put a lot into and I’m definitely not surprised that three years in a row Riders have won.
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Maas is a former Roughriders offensive co-ordinator who last season led the Alouettes to the CFL championship. His team placed first in the East this year with a 12-5-1 record before losing the division final to Toronto.
As the West representative, Milligan defeated Montreal linebacker Tyrice Beverette, the East finalist. After posting a league-high eight interceptions and recording 20 special teams tackles, Milligan was also chosen as Saskatchewan’s outstanding player and special teams player. Milligan was the first Roughrider to be named the CFL’s top defensive player since defensive end John Chick in 2009.
Blue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira was named the league’s outstanding player and top Canadian, an award he also won last year. Oliveira joins Jon Cornish, Russ Jackson and Tony Gabriel as the only players to win both awards in the same season.
Mace took over a team that had finished its two previous seasons on seven-game losing streaks, giving the Roughriders identical 6-12 records and missing the playoffs in back-to-back years. The Roughriders placed second in the West this season at 9-8-1 and beat the visiting B.C. Lions 28-19 in the division semifinal before losing the West final 38-22 on Saturday in Winnipeg.
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As numerous teammates were felled by injuries, Ferland played all 18 regular-season games and four different positions along Saskatchewan’s offensive line
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