Darian Durant is a legendary quarterback who spent 12 years in the CFL while playing for two teams, mostly the Saskatchewan Roughriders. When it came to coaching his teammates, he took two different approaches.
“If you’re a guy that doesn’t make many mistakes at all, then I won’t say a word because we all have brain farts from time to time,” Durant told The SportsCage.
“If you’re a guy who consistently you have to tell over and over what to do or they’re always forgetting routes or forgetting plays — I’m pissed off and I’m cursing. I was never a guy to hold my tongue. I would throw out all and every curse word you could think of.”
The reason behind Durant’s demeanour is the stress that comes with being a professional athlete.
“In the pros when you mess up, no one knows from the stands who messes up or what went wrong on a play. Not only that, it could cost you a game. It could be playoff seeding game or something that’s very important and then you lose your job,” Durant said. “There’s very little room for errors at the pro level and a lot of coaches don’t tolerate it at all. “
The six-foot, 215-pound QB started his career with the Riders from 2006 through 2016. He won a Grey Cup in 2007 and won one as a starter in 2013. Also, during his time with the Green and White, Durant earned two West Division all-star selections in 2009 and 2013. Following his time with the Riders, Durant played for the Montreal Alouettes for one season in 2017.
There was one golden rule Durant followed when talking about his teammates with the media.
“That’s an unspoken, unwritten rule for the quarterback: never throw your guys under the bus,” Durant said. “You take the blame at all times.”
Durant offered words of wisdom to the young Canadian prospects attending the CFL Combine in Regina from March 21 to 23.
“My best advice is to try to be as relaxed as possible and make sure you come off as a guy that loves the game, that you’ll do anything for the game,” Durant said. “It doesn’t matter your contract; you’ll sit on the practice squad for a year or two — you’ll do whatever it takes to make the team. Those are the guys that general managers look for.”
Durant warned prospects who do not take the process seriously when talking to CFL teams.
“This interviewing process gives coaches and GMs a great idea of who really loves football or who is just playing it because they’re talented,” Durant said. “GMs and coaches can really tell that from one interview.”
Durant sympathizes with young quarterbacks at the CFL Combine who will be tasked with regurgitating plays back to coaches and general managers.
“The hardest thing for me was taking the terminology that I learned in college for four years, then hearing this play from a coach, having to recite that back, go on the board, draw that play up and tell him what you’ll do against each coverage,” Durant explained.
“That’s hard for a quarterback because your vocabulary and what you’re used to hearing is nothing compared to what he’s giving you. That’s the trickeration that goes on with that.”
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