University of North Carolina Athletics
Durant Still the Underdog
October 9, 2002 | Football
Oct. 9, 2002
By David Droschak
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- Darian Durant leads the Atlantic Coast Conference in total offense and is coming off the most proficient passing game in North Carolina football history.
Still, the sophomore quarterback finds himself in a familiar position heading into this weekend's game against No. 14 North Carolina State -- that of underdog.
Durant's counterpart Saturday is Philip Rivers, the nation's top-ranked passer who has developed into the ACC's best QB for the undefeated Wolfpack (6-0).
Durant said Tuesday he's watched Rivers from afar, trying to pick up any little tips that would make him better at his position.
"You can learn anything from anybody," said Durant, who at 5-foot-11 is six inches shorter than Rivers. "He's almost flawless in his decision-making. With the numbers he's putting up and the weapons he has around him he's got a legitimate shot (at the Heisman Trophy)."
Durant's decision-making was questioned more than once during the last six months -- once when he decided to transfer from the Tar Heels (2-3), only to ask to come back six weeks later, and after six turnovers in a season-opening loss to Miami (Ohio).
However, last weekend's record-setting 417-yard, five-touchdown passing game in a 38-35 win at Arizona State was a major step in the development of Durant, who has started just seven games over a two-year span.
"After the kind of offseason I had and coming into the opener and struggling like that I definitely felt like I had to upgrade my performance just so everybody could look at me as the leader of this team," Durant said.
Coach John Bunting inserted Durant for starter Ronald Curry during a rocky start to 2001, and the two split time most of the season. This time, Bunting has stuck with Durant and resisted the urge to try Florida transfer C.J. Stephens.
"It shows me that he has a lot of confidence in me and my ability, especially my ability to lead this team," Durant said. "He feels like everybody looks up to me and looks at me when times get tough and they need somebody to make a play."
Halfway through his sophomore season, Durant already has 3,212 passing yards and 27 TDs, leading the ACC with 300 total yards a game. And barring any injury, he'll end up as North Carolina's all-time leading passer.
Curry is the career leader with 4,987 yards and Chris Keldorf is tops with 35 TD passes. However, Durant is just 2-5 as a starter, meaning he has a way to go to reach the school-record of 24 wins shared by Matt Kupec and Jason Stanicek.
"Personal records don't mean that much to me because look at our record. We've under .500 right now," Durant said. "If we were winning then the record (last Saturday) would be even better for me."
Durant's stats are sure to increase a lot this season since the offense has been forced to score just about every time it hits the field because of North Carolina porous defense.
"That's tough, but that's the way I want those guys to think and I want them to have the confidence they can do that," Bunting said. "I hope at some point we can have some confidence that we're going to stop the other team.
"We've got to play our best game on offense Saturday, and it's going to be hard to top what we did last week against Arizona State."
A win is Durant's top goal against the Wolfpack. Topping Rivers in any statistical categories would be gravy.
"I've always been (an underdog) and if I am again that will put a little more fuel to the fire for me and give me some extra incentive to go out there and play better," Durant said. "With me being able to outplay him with him getting all the hype would be really special."
NOTES: DE Issac Mooring, who missed the last two games with a broken hand, returned to practice full speed Tuesday... Andre' Williams led the Tar Heels in rushing a season ago, but is still out of the lineup with back problems... Bunting is 4-0 against N.C. State, 3-0 as a player and 1-0 as head coach... The last time North Carolina started 0-3 at home was in 1999, when it began 0-5 at Kenan Stadium before beating Duke in the regular-season finale.
