For all the talent evaluation and coaching and execution and discipline and health – and sometimes even just dumb luck – that successful teams ride to championships, Darian Durant says repeating that success starts between the ears.
“I think it’s just all about starting from scratch. We all know the festivities, everything that comes along with celebrating the Grey Cup championship from the previous year, but you have to hit the reset button,” the 11-year Saskatchewan Roughrider and 2013 Grey Cup champion said on SportsCage radio Monday.
“You have to go to work. You have to treat this as if it’s just everything new. Don’t look at all your accolades from the previous year.”
To Durant’s eye, current Riders starting quarterback Trevor Harris is doing just that.
“I think from what I’m hearing that Trevor’s really doing a great job … as if ‘We’re not the champions. This is another year. We have to start from scratch. We have to act as if we’re all learning this together, and we have to go out there snap by snap and make sure we execute in that fashion.’”
Speaking from experience, as the 2026 CFL season rolls along Durant says team discipline should then take over as the determining factor in whether or not the Riders are able to win it all in back-to-back years – with Harris and other team leaders like Jameer Thurman and Rolan Milligan Jr. playing a lead role in preaching that message.
“(Harris) has to get these guys together and remind these guys that ‘Look, these are the things that are gonna get us beat. We’re gonna score points. Our offence is good. We have pretty much our entire foundation together, and you guys are gonna be good too. But the thing that’s going to separate us is the dumb mistakes.’”
Though the 2014 Roughriders weren’t able to repeat their success of 2013, Durant credited team discipline with the club’s hot start to the season as they came out of the gate with seven straight wins.
“We started off the year so good because we were the least penalized team,” said Durant. “So I think if they can really, really think about the penalties and how they can cost you games then they’ll put themselves right back in a great position to possibly repeat.”
Too much 'my bad'
New defensive coordinator Josh Bell’s recent comments on accountability also caught Durant’s ear.
“I think something that he and Coach Mace may have let go last year was guys having excuses,” said Durant. “Too many ‘my bad’s out there. Too many mistakes that will cost you crucial games. So that theme of accountability, to me that directly says that they let a little bit too much go last year.
“Too many guys came in in film sessions and pointed at themselves and said ‘My bad, it won’t happen next time.’ And I think what he’s saying is ‘Look, there may not be a next time. We’re the guys that are gonna be hunted this year so there’s no room for these mistakes, and the things that could’ve cost us games last year, we have to be able to address them now and you have to be accountable for those things immediately.’
