OTTAWA — Johnny Augustine knows his all lines and has memorized all his cues — that much is surely a given now for Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans who have witnessed him step in and do this time and time again.
That’s what understudies do, after all. They prep before every performance for a moment that comes only sporadically or, in some cases, never at all.
They are this close to the spotlight, but never guaranteed to regularly step into it.
Augustine will get his next moment tonight at TD Place here in the nation’s capital when he jumps back into a starting role for an injured Brady Oliveira in a Week 2 matchup against the Ottawa RedBlacks.
It will be his fourth career Canadian Football League start dating back to 2018, and first since he rumbled for 148 yards on 23 carries in the 2021 regular-season finale when a bunch of regulars were rested in advance of the Western Final.
“This is not my first time,” began Augustine during the Blue Bombers media availability at TD Place on Wednesday afternoon. “I’ve been here six-seven years and it’s always the same thing — just always staying ready, being ready for my teammates, my coaches.
“Even last week even though I didn’t start I made the same notes, did the same things at practice. I’m just going to go out there and do my thing and whatever is required.”
Again, we’ve seen this movie before from Augustine. In his three starts — all in relief of Andrew Harris — he rushed 51 times for 321 yards and in 76 career games with the Blue Bombers sports a healthy 5.8-yards per carry average. Those are totals running backs in any league would gladly love to sport on their resumé.
“The game has slowed down for me tremendously since my first year when I started the Labour Day-Banjo Bowl back in ’19,” he said. “Then it was a little bit more trying to figure it out and using more of my physical traits, whereas now I’m still using my physical traits, but it’s a lot of mental and understanding and seeing the bigger picture.”
Let’s riff on the understudy theme a little further here with a peek at the RedBlacks. They’ll also be turning to an understudy of sorts as former Blue Bombers No. 2 QB Dru Brown makes his first start for Ottawa and, like Augustine, the fourth of his career.
Interestingly, while Brown turned his success and flashes of promise with the Blue Bombers into a payday and starting gig with the RedBlacks, that never materialized for Augustine, who turns 31 next month. Much of that has to do with the positions they play — quarterback vs. running back — but it’s not something Augustine is openly bitter about or focussed on in the least bit.
He’ll approach tonight’s game as he does every time he steps into the huddle — like each play is still a chance to showcase his skills and help his team but also as if it could be the last time he every hits a hole with a defender with bad intentions chasing him.
“You never take a play off, no matter what. That’s what makes a good running back,” said Augustine. “That’s what our running backs coach, Coach J (Jason Hogan) says. I’m never comfortable. I’m always fighting, always working hard. I feel like I’m always trying to prove myself.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be playing for six-seven years; hopefully for another five-six more and until the wheels fall off it’s always trying to prove myself. That’s my mentality every time.”
Again, that’s the role of an understudy. Rehearse and prep, prep and rehearse while waiting for your cue to hit the stage. And as Augustine has gained experience as a pro he also seems OK with that role in the moment — while still dreaming of more.
Yes, he could get comfortable and feel safe with all this because of his track record. But then that might also means he loses his edge and that fire which has driven him for so long.
“That’s just how I’ve always been,” he said with a shrug. “I did martial arts for the longest time and I had a couple of mentors who just always said, ‘Never be satisfied. Always shoot for the stars.’ I mean, you see great generational athletes like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant and those guys were just constantly going and still doing the same thing at an old age.
“I never understood when people took their foot off the gas. That’s never been my mentality. Until the wheels fall off I’m not going to stop.”