Mitchell Blair
When Kent Austin coached the Saskatchewan Roughriders to the 2007 Grey Cup championship, his three quarterbacks were Kerry Joseph, Marcus Crandell and a relative unknown named Darian Durant. Austin spoke very highly of the North Carolina grad at the time saying he had all the tools and smarts to be a very good CFL quarterback. That assessment was right on the money.
“I thought he was pretty good back then and I’m not surprised at the success he is having, “Austin said at the coaches’ news conference this week as he leads his Eastern champs from Hamilton into battle against the green-and-white on Sunday. “He was a young player who was dedicated to learning, was bright, was tough and wanted to be very good. I see a maturity in him now. He doesn’t get flustered. He doesn’t let the game get away from him. He has a knack for the big play. He has turned into a very good player and like I said I’m not surprised at his success. “
Since Durant took the reigns as the starting quarterback of the Riders, he has become the best signal-caller the team has had since the man he will oppose on Sunday –Henry Burris—while trying to join Austin , Joseph and the iconic Ron Lancaster as quarterbacks who have taken this team to a Grey Cup championship. While there is no doubt Durant is one of the top quarterbacks in this league, he is still missing what he thinks is a vital part to his resume which is a Grey Cup championship. As he leads his team into its 3rd Grey Cup in the last five years, he won’t boast about anything saying he could not do it himself.
“I’ve been fortunate,” a sheepish Durant said this week. “I’ve had some great teammates and some good coaches and I’ve been a part of good teams. This organization has done a great job of having the right guys here so it’s a combination of things. It’s not all about me; it’s about what’s around me because it’s the ultimate team game.”
While Durant is correct with that assumption, his individual play on a year-to-year basis is something that has been debated. Some believe he is the man to take the team to a championship while others for whatever reason and despite the numbers he has put up, feel the team would be better served if someone else was under center. Durant has heard the criticism whether it be warranted or not and says it has proven to be a motivator for him.
“I can only do what I can do,” Durant said. “I think its human nature whenever you are spoken of in a negative way to prove people wrong. My attitude is to go out and play to the best of my abilities and do what I can do. I know I can’t please everyone, but my goal is to be the best I can.”
While Durant shrugs off the criticism he receives, he will admit to being a more mature quarterback than he was when he took the team to the Grey Cup in 2009 and 2010.
“It’s like night and day,” Durant professed. “I was like a young pup in 2009 and I was still raw in 2010. Going through some rough times, some new coaches, some new coordinators have made me a more mature individual. It’s made me respect the game and cherish every moment because it is so tough to get here.”
Durant is also fuelled by the motivation that this is his third trip to the final, and it’s a trip where he doesn’t want to come away empty-handed. He feels as if winning the Grey Cup may be the only thing left on what is already a very decorated resume and silence those who believe he isn’t capable of bringing the team what it so desperately craves. He had that championship in 2009 only to have it snatched away in the cruelest of fashions as the infamous 13th man scenario stole a ring from him and many others in a finish still talked about today.
“The end of that game is a definite motivator for me on Sunday. “Durant insisted. “The way that game ended was devastating to everyone and a lot of those guys had a second chance the next year and we let that get away too. If we had won one of those games, I don’t think the criticism would be there. If the outcome had been different, you would put my names up there as guys who have won a title and stop that argument.”
His Head Coach Corey Chamblin believes the time is now for Durant to put his name on the list of Grey Cup winning quarterbacks.
“He has gone through a lot since he’s been here and he’s been through a lot since I’ve been here, “Chamblin stated. “He still has the hunger and he still has the desire. I think you have seen that in the past two weeks with the way he has played. He has an extreme focus and he is ready to take that next step to become a championship level quarterback.
There is no doubt Durant is a championship level quarterback, but it is that championship that eludes him. That quest will hopefully end for the 31 year old on his home turf Sunday night and if it does, do not be surprised to see Durant perhaps be very emotional for a number of reasons—perhaps none bigger than the fact the monkey that has sat on his shoulders for many years will be gone never to return as he will finally have the one piece missing on his resume which he feels is needed to get the respect he deserves.
Sunday’s game will begin at 5 o’clock under what is forecast to be a clear sky and conditions that should be pleasant for both players and the expected 45 thousand in attendance. The game day forecast is calling for the temperature to be around minus 3 at kickoff and minus 7 at game’s end with very little wind.
