There were plenty of greats from the gridiron in Regina this weekend as the Saskatchewan Roughriders held Legends Night on Saturday, honouring the 2013 Grey Cup Championship team.
The festivities gave Rider Nation a chance to welcome home Darian Durant.
Last week, Durant joined Michael Ball on the Sportscage to reminisce about the 2013 Grey Cup Championship and the other memories created in Saskatchewan.
For 11 seasons (2006-16), the quarterback would become one of the top players in franchise history, winning a pair of Grey Cups (2007,2013).
Remembering George Reed
Last week in Riderville began with the sad news with the passing of Roughrider legend George Reed.
Durant said Reed was an iconic figure in Saskatchewan who lent him plenty of advice when he was a member of the green and white.
“Definitely the greatest Roughrider of all time.” said Durant, “He lights up the room wherever he his, he was such a gentle guy, also gave me advice how to conduct myself, not only as a player, off the field as well.”
Winning the 2013 Grey Cup
While Durant was a part of the Roughriders squad that won the Grey Cup in 2007, he said being the starting quarterback in 2013 made that championship much more special.
“You don’t feel validated until you accomplish one as a starter.”
There was a lot of expectations on the Roughriders to win a Grey Cup in 2013 after the team came up short in the finals of 2009 and 2010.
After an exit in the 2012 Western Semi-Finals, Durant said there was pressure on the Roughriders to win the big one. The quarterback felt he was more prepared on what to expect in 2013 after the previous failures in the Grey Cup.
“Fast forward four or five years later, I’m more mature, I’m in my 30’s, I understand what really matters and what it takes to be successful and win a championship.”
He also credited the organization led by President Jim Hopson, General Manager Brendan Taman and Head Coach Corey Chamblin for adding the necessary veterans to put the team over the top in 2013, including Geroy Simon, Dwight Anderson and Ricky Foley.
It was a magical night when the Roughriders won the 101st Grey Cup on November 24, 2013, as they defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Durant says everything was going Saskatchewan’s way that night, including when running back Kory Sheets recovered a loose fumble and picked up a big first down early in the game.
“Whenever you plays like that go your way, there’s a saying the football gods are on your side that night and they definitely were.”
The 2013 Grey Cup wasn’t a barnburner as the Roughriders emerged with a 45-23 win over the Tiger-Cats.
Durant didn’t have a problem that the score wasn’t close and that he could relax in the fourth quarter.
“I love have that feeling where it’s not close, you’re not worried, you can kind of start breathing that sigh of relief in the fourth quarter, you don’t have that pressure on yourself of making that game-winning drive, I like it that way.”
Winning the 2013 Grey Cup was special for Durant, but winning it in Regina was gratifying for the former North Carolina Tar Heel.
“To win the game at home was icing on the cake.”
On Saturday, during the Roughriders game against the Ti-Cats, the crowd gave the 2013 team a warm reception with a thunderous response saved for Durant.
This past weekend showed that the former quarterback remains a popular figure in Rider Nation as he spent the majority of the second half of Saturday’s game between the Roughriders and Tiger-Cats signing autographs.
