Darian Durant and Drew Willy both have something to prove in 2016 CFL season

Darian Durant and Drew Willy are in the habit of crossing paths, both literally and figuratively.

As for the former, they did so first in 2012 when Durant was the starting quarterback in Saskatchewan and Willy was his young understudy. They are doing so figuratively now as both enter the 2016 season trying to rebound from serious injuries that kept them off the field last year.

As a result, both have something to prove heading into a new season.

For Durant, it's showing CFL opponents and fans that after missing 23 of 37 games the last two seasons with a torn elbow tendon and torn Achilles, he's not one of those 30-something quarterbacks who's simply breaking down.

Durant is having none of that.

 ``I don't care if you're 10 or 50, if a guy hits you with your arm going forward with that much momentum something's liable to give," Durant said at a recent media availability in Toronto. ``As far as the Achilles, I just look at it as a freak injury."

If he had any doubts about coming back from something as severe as an Achilles tear, a recent mini-camp in Florida put his mind to rest.

"Right now, I'm feeling great," he said, pronouncing himself 95 per cent recovered from the Achilles injury he suffered in the season opener. ``I wasn't limited in any way.

``It's just about building volume in the leg, being able to withstand intensity for three hours."

He admits the last two years were difficult, both physically and mentally.

``You go from being a guy who's known to be very durable and you have two crazy injuries and you start thinking about life after football," he said. ``You don't like to think that when you're in the prime of your career.

``Sitting out and not being able to move for months is tough on your personally."

One of the hardest things to deal with was watching his Roughriders struggle with a 3-15 record, handcuffed by a porous defence and inconsistent quarterbacking.

``Seeing your teammates going through that and thinking maybe I could have made difference," he said.

``It eats at you ..."

But the physical pain of rehabbing a serious leg injury and the mental anguish of contemplating his football mortality were compounded by the financial pain of taking a pay cut. He reportedly agreed to a $50,000 reduction in his $500,000 contract.

Durant says because the Riders won only four games without him after winning the Grey Cup with him in 2013, ``I felt my value was there."

But he says he fully understands why new GM and head coach Chris Jones asked him to take a cut.

``He has a vision and we talked about it," Durant said. ``In order to get some of these guys we brought in, we needed to free up some (salary cap) space and I understood that. I'm in a show-and-prove year myself. As much as I hated it financially, I understand the business side of things and I'm all about getting better."

He feels he can do that under Jones.

``It's going to be a great relationship, I think," he said. ``. I'm excited about the guys we've brought in and I think we've got a real legitimate shot about taking a run at this thing."

Though Willy hasn't had Durant's recent run of injuries -- being four years younger he hasn't had as many opportunities -- he says he wants to prove that he can be more durable at age 29.

``I definitely want to be that guy this year who's out there every week," WIlly said.

To that end, he believes that new offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice (another path-crosser from Saskatchewan) can help in that department with more focus on protecting the quarterback.

But he also feels the onus is on him to make better decisions, not always try for that extra yard if it means taking a big hit. The concussion and catastrophic knee and leg injuries he suffered last year could have been prevented had he been a little more judicious with the ball.

``As a competitor, you've got to know when to go down or things like that," he said. ``Darian (Durant) used to tell me (the CFL season) is a marathon. Make sure you last the whole season.

``To think of (Ottawa QB) Hank Burris at age 40 playing all 18 games, he should get a medal or something."

While Willy obviously would have preferred to have spent the last 10 games  taking snaps instead of watching from the sidelines, his time out of action wasn't a total waste. He attended all the meetings, sat in the spotters booth and listened in on all in-game communications.

``I was still going through my reads," he said. ``I could hear every play call and I could go through my reads and know where the ball was going before the play."

He says he ``learned a ton," taking notes on other defensive co-ordinators in the league.

``Once you start knowing the tendencies of co-ordinators and defences, it really helps."

The down time also put a different perspective on things.

``You realize (the game) can be taken away from you very fast," he said. ``You just don't know a lot of times. You see some guys get hurt and never play again and you think, wow, that guy had a lot of promise and you never hear from him again."

Like Durant, Willy is aiming to make sure he's not one of those guys.