By Max Campbell
Stampeders.com
Finding the end zone for the first time in his young CFL career was Lemar Durant, who also made unanticipated contributions on special teams in the Stampeders’ 25-23 victory over Winnipeg on Friday night.
Bo Levi Mitchell hooked up with the rookie receiver for Calgary’s first of two major scores, as the 2015 second-round draft pick had a clear path to the end zone on the nine-yard catch.
“It was big,” Durant said of his overall performance in Week 14. “This was the first real game that I got something big on offence, actually. I’ve had some big plays, but the touchdown, I’ve been waiting for that. So I was happy to do that, and the way we held them off was great. We’re a good team and we always fight, but I think we’ve just got to make sure we finish for four quarters better next time.”
Perhaps caught up in the moment after scoring his initial touchdown as a pro, Durant appeared as though he was not going to claim the football for a sought-after souvenir, instead tossing the pigskin aside in celebration.
“Right after I did that, I was like, ‘Oh, you know what, I should have kept that,’ explained the good-humoured Vancouver native. “But luckily they gave it back to me, so I got that touchdown ball.”
Following Durant’s first-quarter score, Joe Burnett suffered an ankle injury returning a punt in the third, thrusting Durant into the role of returner. The 23-year-old netted 17 yards on three punt returns in addition to his two receptions for 16 yards.
“I was doing a little bit of everything that game,” the Simon Fraser product offered, who began his collegiate career with the University of Nevada Wolf Pack. “Running down on kickoff(s), returning and playing receiver. But that’s something I pride myself on – being versatile. I’m just happy to help the team any way I can.”
Appearing in only his tenth career game – three of which have come against the Bombers – the six-foot-two, 231 lb. pass-catcher acknowledged there are still plenty of improvements to be made as a collective unit.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game and this (was) our third time playing them,” stated No. 1. “Every game we’ve had with them hasn’t been easy, so it was just good for us to keep fighting until the end, although we shouldn’t have let it get that close. That’s something that we’re for sure going to work on.”