Durant ready for next steps
SASKATOON — Quarterback Darian Durant is prepared to turn the page to another chapter of the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ training camp.
The Roughriders capped the first week of their Saskatoon-based training camp with Saturday’s Green and White scrimmage, part of the Riderville North Fanfest. There weren’t any public events scheduled for Sunday. The Riders return to practice today with sessions at 8:15 a.m. (SaskTel Sports Centre) and 3 p.m. (Griffiths Stadium).
Durant said the emphasis in the first week of camp was getting offensive coordinator George Cortez’s system down pat.
“The thing George does is he overloads you with information every day,’’ Durant said after Saturday’s morning session at Griffiths Stadium. “Then we go back and review to make sure we have everything else down pat.
“Everything is pretty much in. It’s about executing and refreshing your memory. It’s time to start game-planning.’’
The first pre-season game of the 2013 season is Friday in Edmonton against the Eskimos at Commonwealth Stadium. The Riders wrap up the pre-season by playing host to the Calgary Stampeders on June 20. The Riders’ regular-season opener is June 29 against the host Eskimos.
“We have to start gameplanning especially when we open up the pre-season against a team that we will play four times,’’ Durant said. “We have to make sure that we take of that business. It starts now and that’s what we are focused on.
“We also have to make sure that we get into shape because that’s also what training camp is for.’’
The training- camp sessions continue until Wednesday in Saskatoon. On Thursday, the Riders head to Edmonton for the pre-season game. They are to return to Saskatoon on Saturday. There is a practice slated for Sunday morning in Saskatoon before they board buses to Regina. The Riders are scheduled to practise in Regina on June 17.
Meanwhile, Saturday’s Fanfest drew a large crowd despite inclement weather. A group of players signed autographs before beginning the afternoon session, which was conducted in a steady rain.
The scrimmage was conducted in pads, but with controlled contact under the watchful eyes of a group of officials. The scrimmage was also scripted to help introduce some of the newer players on the trainingcamp roster to the nuances of the CFL.
Head coach Corey Chamblin said the scrimmage would help gauge how much the players have learned in the first week of training camp.
“We will continue to build from there,’’ Chamblin said. “We’ll also have a better evaluation of who can play in close to a game-type situation and prepare for the games with those type of guys.’’