Wilson's Durant prepares for Canada's Super Bowl

By: By Lou Bezjak Morning News lbezjak@florencenews.com | SCNow
Published: November 29, 2009

Whether it was in high school at Wilson or in college at North Carolina, Darian Durant has played in his share of big games.

But none have been bigger than today.

The Florence native will quarterback the Saskatchewan Roughriders against Montreal in the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup, Canada’s equivalent to the Super Bowl.

“I’m pretty sure no one expected us to be here except the people in the locker room,” Durant told reporters this week. “I just treat every game like it’s just another football game. Of course, what’s at stake
is a lot greater, but at the same time you just still have to play football.”

This will be Durant’s second Grey Cup appearance. He was a backup on the team’s 2007 championship team.

“That might have been the best experience in my life,” Durant said last year of the Grey Cup. “I never won a state championship or anything in college. It was tremendous and an electric atmosphere.”

In his first year as a full-time starter, Durant led the Roughriders to their first West Division title since 1976. He completed 60.4 percent of his passes for 4,348 yards and was second in the league with 24
touchdowns. He also rushed for 501 yards.

“It’ll be the best moment of my life,” Durant said of starting in the Grey Cup game. “I’ve been through so much in my life … it’ll be great to be able to accomplish something of that magnitude and bring it
back to the greatest fans in the land.

“I’m in my first year as a starter and I’m fortunate enough to be able to play in the Grey Cup. This is what you play the game for. This is what I’ve worked all my life for.”

To win their fourth Grey Cup in 100 years of football, the Roughriders will have to beat a Montreal team favored by 9½ points and quarterbacked by CFL MVP Anthony Calvillo.

Being the underdog, though, is nothing new for Durant. For much of his career, he’s heard he wouldn’t be able to play quarterback because of his size.

“That’s the story of my career,” Durant said. “I’ve been told I couldn’t play. But if you give up, you’re going to stay down. If you keep fighting, you’ll make it to the top.

“That’s one of the reasons I’m here now.”