Saskatchewan Roughriders QB Darian Durant looks for a receiver during CFL action against the Calgary Stampeders at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on September 17, 2010.
Photograph by: Don Healy, Leader-Post files
REGINA — Darian Durant has joined an ultra-exclusive fraternity that also includes Kent Austin, Kent Austin, Kent Austin and Kent Austin.
On Friday, Durant became only the second Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback to pass for at least 500 yards in a CFL game. He hit that magic figure — on the nose — during Friday's 43-37 overtime victory over the visiting Calgary Stampeders.
The Roughriders' other four 500-yard games were all produced by Austin, who set the team record of 559 in OT against the host B.C. Lions on Aug. 13, 1992. He also erupted for totals of 546 (Oct. 23, 1993 versus Calgary), 507 (in OT against the host Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sept. 8, 1991) and 507 (in Toronto against the Argonauts on Oct. 31, 1993).
Nearly 17 years elapsed before a Saskatchewan quarterback joined Austin in the Fortune 500 club.
Durant also rushed for a team-high 69 yards on Friday, meaning that he figured directly in 569 of the Roughriders' 636 yards of total offence — or 89.5 per cent of the yardage Saskatchewan gained while upending Calgary.
The 28-year-old Saskatchewan pivot had not enjoyed such an outing in, uh, 2 1/2 months, having dealt with inconsistency in the weeks leading up to the Calgary game. Friday's showing was comparable to the regular-season opener, in which Durant threw for 481 yards and five touchdowns in a 54-51 overtime conquest of the visiting Montreal Alouettes. He added 52 yards on the ground while accounting for 80.1 per cent of the Roughriders' 660 yards of total offence.
If you think you are being inundated with numbers, imagine how the Stampeders felt after Friday's bombardment.
The Roughriders averaged 21.7 yards per completion, and 12.8 yards per attempt, as Durant went 23-for-39.
If he does not receive CFL offensive player-of-the-week honours, the league should dispense with any future presentations. Saskatchewan slotback Andy Fantuz — who had 10 catches for 255 yards on Friday — is also a worthy candidate, but Durant's myriad contributions set him apart.
Granted, Durant's second pass of the game was not something he will fondly remember. Early in the first quarter, he was intercepted by Milt Collins, who returned the ball 55 yards to paydirt to power Calgary to an early 7-0 lead.
The last laugh belonged to Durant, who repeatedly victimized Collins during Friday's game. Andy Fantuz, for example, got behind the Stampeders safety for the most picturesque of 60-yard touchdown bombs in the fourth quarter. Earlier, Durant had steamrolled Collins while running for a nine-yard gain.
In the process, Durant joined another exclusive group. How many Riders quarterbacks have squelched a would-be tackler in Elgaardian fashion. The list includes Durant, Kerry Joseph, Reggie Slack and ... uh ... anyone?
This is not the first time a variety of superlatives have been used to describe Durant in this cherished space. The weekly tributes to the Riders quarterback are, admittedly, overdone. But, really, have denizens of the Rider Nation ever seen anything quite like this?
Ron Lancaster was a nimble scrambler in his younger days, but his agility was generally used to buy time to find an open receiver. Austin rarely, if ever, ran by design. Henry Burris enjoyed some notable passing games as a Rider, but did not become a consistent running threat until joining the Stampeders in 2005. Slack was a formidable runner — especially in the 1997 West Division playoffs — but not a high-end passer.
From a multi-dimensional standpoint, Durant is most reminiscent of Joseph — a man he considers a friend and mentor.
Joseph played his most statistically dominant game on Nov. 11, 2007, when he threw for 391 yards and boasted a team-high 109 rushing yards in the Riders' 26-24 conquest of the visiting Stampeders in the West semifinal. He personally accounted for 500 of the 531 yards the Austin-coached Roughriders amassed that day.
Shortly thereafter, Joseph was deservedly decorated as the CFL's most outstanding player in 2007.
At the time, Durant was among the most anonymous Roughriders — a second-year backup quarterback who was seemingly buried behind Joseph and Marcus Crandell on the depth chart.
And now, not even three years later, Durant has joined the firm of Austin, Austin, Austin and Austin.
And now, not even three years later, Durant has joined the firm of Austin, Austin, Austin and Austin.
Esteemed company, indeed.
rvanstone@leaderpost.comRead more:
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