Holm follows offseason by 'trying to get better' – Winnipeg Free Press

According to Evan Holm, there was no particular moment during the second grade break season when the light bulb really went on.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defense matched all 18 regular-season CFL games in 2023, finishing with 64 defensive tackles, four more on special teams, two sacks and two interceptions.

“Last year in training camp, I realized I knew this stuff,” Holm said. “I don't need to learn the playbook that hard. I'm not depressed, I'm not stressed. Having that part helped me focus on other aspects of the game. “There was never a moment where I thought, 'OK, I can do this.'”

What does Holm plan to do for an encore?

“Just trying to be good,” Holm said. “It was a good year but we didn't get the results we wanted, so that's No.1 on my agenda.

“I tried to think about what I didn't do well last season and I'm going to try to work on that in camp and throughout the season.”

If it seems odd that a guy coming off a great season is thinking more about the things he didn't do well than the things he did well, it shows his desire to improve.

“You can always get better, you never want to be down because you had a good year,” said Holm, who played college football at the University of North Dakota. “I'm just trying to get better.”

In what areas does Holm look to improve?

“It was a good year, but we didn't get the results we wanted, so that's No. 1 on my agenda.”– Evan Holm

“Just seeing my man coverage and the game a little slower,” Holm said. “I picked up some things at the end of the year, like reading the quarterback better and seeing the action of the play. I'm getting better with some of this stuff because I know a lot of the concepts now, which is handy. I try to take more calculated risks. There is a lot of work to be done.”

After back-to-back Gray Cup defeats, Holm is feeling the hunger throughout the group.

“It's a play or two here,” he said. “We have to find a way to get the small parts. We were very close, but we need to fine-tune some things.”

The Blue Bombers' defense will be a little different this season, with Jordan Younger moving into the defensive coordinator role and Richie Hall moving into the defensive assistant position in what will be his ninth season on the staff.

Mentioning Holm's name during the question-and-answer period brought an immediate smile to Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea's face.

“Everybody loves that guy and what he brings.”– Head Coach Mike O'Shea

“She's beautiful,” O'Shea said. “I think any ball that went up in the air and he tried to contest it, everybody on our side knew he had a good chance to win (the battle) … and he won a ton of those contested balls.

“He is more than that. He is fast and a very talented athlete. He is very special as a teammate. Everyone loves that guy and what he brings. He's a quiet guy who runs around and does crazy things and it's not like everyone thinks he's cool. It fits and it makes it easy to go through all the bands, which is great.”

Thomas is rolling

Winnipeg defensive tackle Jake Thomas hasn't missed a game (regular season or playoffs) since 2016, which is a testament to his dedication and resilience.

“He's very strong and strong and works very hard at it,” O'Shea said. “He doesn't take it for granted. He's religious in the weight room and his work ethic is as good as anyone's. Genetically, it has that power, and you associate it with the East Coast, so you can go for it.”

Thomas was recently the vice president of the CFLPA, so his concern for the well-being of his teammates and teammates is obvious on and off the field.

“You don't have to look too hard at them to see how professional he is,” O'Shea said. “He was around our team. He is the longest serving member for a reason. He prepares to play hard every year. It's not our choice for him, he chooses to give the best he can for his teammates.

“He's very smart. He cares about his guys and what they do. So, yeah, everybody can look at it and see (a) what a pro really is.”

Schoen takes his seat

A day after the Blue Bombers placed three players on the injured list after six games, star wide receiver Dalton Schoen took what is believed to be a maintenance day. This allowed Ronnie Blackmon to work with the first-team offense.

Speaking of injuries, O'Shea said Jamal Parker's injury suffered during training camp could linger beyond the opening week of the regular season.

Respect to the Dutch

As he opened his daily media session Thursday, O'Shea shared some thoughts on TSN host Darren Dutchien, a longtime CFL fan who died at age 57.

“It's a sad day to hear the news about Dutchie,” O'Shea said. “Obviously, if you're any kind of Canadian sports fan, he's been a big part of your living room every night. This news is hard to hear, of course. Being a Saskatchewan guy, he was a big fan of the CFL.”

Tributes poured in from across the sporting world for Dutchysen on Thursday, with many praising him for his enthusiasm and zest for life.

“It was obvious when you saw it,” O'Shea said.

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