We’ve seen a different side of Darian Durant this week in the media.

The usually guarded player, who sticks to talking about the team and the game, has really opened up about himself and how much winning Sunday’s 101st Grey Cup would mean to him.

After the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ pre-game walkthrough on Saturday morning at Mosaic Stadium, Durant was back in front of the microphone with dozens of reporters from across the country hanging on every word again.

During his 15 minute media conference, Durant revealed who he will be playing for when he hits the field on Sunday.

“My grandmother,” said Durant in response to the question of who he’s playing for.  “She was on her death bed in September, but she fought back, now she’s up talking, moving around and she told me to dedicate everything to her.”

Ethel Dow, 85, is Durant grandmother back in South Carolina.  He explained that she had been moved to hospice after falling ill and was essentially waiting to “die in peace”.

Durant said she will be on his mind when he hits the field with his teammates on Sunday in search of a championship.

“We call her ‘Chubby’, she weighs 100 pounds, but we call her ‘Chubby’,” said Durant.

She will be tuning in from Durant’s hometown of Florence, South Carolina.

The Riders quarterback has seemed laid back throughout the week leading up to Grey Cup, he said that was a conscious effort on his part after failing to enjoy his last two trips to the CFL Championship game in 2009 and 2010.

“There have been games, previous Grey Cups, when I was just so uptight and just trying to be as focused as possible, which I still am, and you end up on the losing side, so if you’re going to lose, you might as well be yourself,” he said.  “I’m just being myself, that’s how I’ve approached each and every game this year, just be yourself, let it all fly, let it all hang out and let the chips fall where they may.”

Durant is hoping that this change in mindset leads to a different result come game time.  If his teammates follow his example, the Roughriders could be in good shape when they take on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday in the 101st Grey Cup.