Darian Durant returns to Riderville for Legends Night game

Former quarterback Darian Durant has returned to Rider Nation alongside the 2013 team for an induction into the Plaza of Honour.

Durant, who appeared on the Green Zone with Jamie Nye, said he looks forward to the night but wishes George Reed could be there. 

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“He always supported me, whether we were having a bad season or when times were good. He always told me to stay humble, keep a level head and enjoy every moment. He always reminded me Saskatchewan was such a special place to play football,” said Durant.

Alongside Reed, the 2013 team will be honoured Saturday.

Durant said he credits that winning season to Jim Hopson , Brenda Taman and Corey Chamblin for the team they created that year.

“Bringing in guys like Ricky Foley, Dwight Anderson, Alex Hall, Diamond Ferri, Geroy Simon and so many other guys. Just the team that they put together for that year, with the mixture of veterans and younger guys. Just to see the locker room come together with so many different personalities, that was a great thing for me,” he said.

He said that group faced many challenges, but overcoming them together, strengthened the team.

Darian Durant returns to Rider Nation for the Legends Night game at Mosaic Stadium Saturday. (Canadian Press)

Durant said the team was “all in,” knowing they had to put in extra work to get themselves to a Grey Cup position, especially since it was at home.

The pressure to win at home mounted after home teams won the two previous Grey Cups. In 2011, the BC Lions won at home, and the Toronto Argonauts followed suite in 2012.

“We wanted to make history in Saskatchewan ourselves. We had the perfect opportunity. We were all in for that season,” said Durant.

The Western-semi final was a nail-biter.

“It was one of those games, it just wasn’t my night as far as past games go. Defense did a great job of keeping us alive. It was a make or break moment for myself as well,” Durant said.

He credits offensive coordinator George Cortez for his success that game.

“He always came on the headset and let me know if things aren’t there. He would say, ‘Use your legs. Do what you’ve been doing for years to get you to this point in your career,’” said Durant.

And run he did. Durant finished that game with 97 running yards, 76 of those in the final quarter alone.

Those yards secured crucial points for the team, resulting in a 29-25 victory over the B.C. Lions.

“I wasn’t going to let us lose, being at home, knowing that the Grey Cup was at home. All those things came into play, and I wanted to make sure I could do whatever I could to make us victorious that night,” he said.

2013 Grey Cup game

Durant had no idea what to expect when walking into Riderville Grey Cup weekend.

“Feeling the electricity and being in that environment, I even explained it to the guys next day. The support that we were about to receive for the game it’s going to be crazy if it was anything like it was the night before,” he said.

He can still hear the roar from the crowd when the whole team ran out onto the field together.

His most unforgettable play that game was when he fumbled the ball in the first quarter and, somehow, Kory Sheets was at the right place at the right time and caught the ball mid-air.

“That gave me a feeling that, man, this is our night,” said Durant about the play.

He was honoured to secure two touchdowns for Geroy Simon, who had never scored a Grey Cup touchdown in his career until that point.

The outcome was undeniably the cherry on top.

Durant made sure he was first to hoist the trophy.

“There was no way, especially after 2009 and 2010, the way those seasons ended, for it to finally happen in front of Rider Nation, there was no way I wouldn’t be the first one holding that trophy.”

He held the cup back in 2007, but not as a starter. He said that win didn’t feel like it belonged to him. But 2013 was different.

“To celebrate with my guys, that was special. Those guys who have been with me since Day 1, Dressler, Bagg, Getzlaf and Chick, the guys who have been there since the beginning,” he said.

After the successful night, Durant walked the famous Green Mile walk.

“To see pretty much the entire city still loud and celebrating, it’s unbelievable. There’s no other fan base like Rider Nation. Their love and support, even to this day, has been amazing. That night just embracing the love, finally feeling that sense of relief, that was amazing,” he said.

He’s excited to reunite with Rider Nation and his former team at Mosaic Stadium Saturday night.

“Now to bring the entire locker room pretty much together, you get that warm feeling back. You get to relive some of the stories. 

“I’m looking forward to get back and getting to the stadium and feeling the love once again from Rider Nation,” said Durant.