Durant Team Preview
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It’s the month of July and that means it’s preview time! Throughout the month of July, we are publishing 100 team previews to get you ready for the 2022 season. This is something that began last year and has become even bigger and better this year. We’re looking forward to diving deep into the top teams across the state. From defending champs, to top contenders and dark horses, we’ll have complete coverage every single day with new teams from Class 6A down to A. In this post, we take a look at the Durant Lions. Durant has been a program that has struggled over the last decade but with some talented young players, things could be turning around.
Durant Lions
The Durant Lions come into the 2022 season with new life and with higher expectations than they’ve had in recent memory. Durant is coming off a 2021 season in which they won just one football game and finished the year 1-9, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic as we head into the 2022 football season. The Lions bring back the majority of their starters and they’ve also benefitted from two big move ins to the district during the offseason. Coming off a 1-9 record, expectations don’t need to be too high but we don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibilities that this Durant team contends for a playoff spot and are definitely more competitive than what we’ve seen over the last few years. A tough non-district schedule will test them early on but then the district features several games that they can win and put themselves in a position for one of those four playoff spots.
Eight starters return on the offensive side of the ball, including a few offensive linemen that are starting to really take off in terms of their recruitment. They’ll be blocking for a new running back as that’s probably going to be the toughest position to replace from last year’s team. But if the Lions find a suitable running back and find a balance on the offensive side of the ball, they have a defense that could be one of the better ones in the district and it starts up front. Move ins and transfers was arguably the biggest storyline this offseason and Durant benefitted from not one but two Power 5 prospects along the defensive line moving into their district. That, combined with five more starters returning from last year’s team and the defense has a real good chance of being one of the better units in this district. They’ll have to go out and prove it but on paper, they look like a team that can be really improved this season.
2021 Results (1-9 Record – Missed Playoffs)
Sept. 3 – Lost To Madill 49-26
Sept. 10 – Lost To Glenpool 27-17
Sept. 17 – Lost To Ada 28-6
Sept. 24 – Lost To Shawnee 60-14
Oct. 1 – Lost To Bishop Kelley 55-7
Oct. 8 – Lost To McAlester 56-20
Oct. 14 – Beat Edison 42-32
Oct. 22 – Lost To Will Rogers 53-32
Oct. 29 – Lost To East Central 35-13
Nov. 5 – Lost To Coweta 42-7
Key Losses To Graduation
Brayan Martinez – Offensive/Defensive Lineman
Fransisco Avilas – Running Back
Players To Watch
Colton Yarbrough – 2026 Defensive Lineman
Yes, you read that right. A 2026 prospect, an incoming freshman has to be considered one of the players to watch for Durant coming into this season. Defensive lineman Colton Yarbrough hasn’t played a down of varsity football yet and despite that, he’s already on the radar as a national recruit. He’s been offered by multiple Power 5 programs and that’s just the beginning. He definitely passes the eye test when you see him in person as he’s 6’4 and a very physical presence. It’s obviously very early in his high school career, literally at the start of it, but Yarbrough already has high expectations as a dominating player on the Durant defense.
XaDavien Sims
XaDavien
Sims
6'4" | 275 lbs | DL
Durant | 2024
State
OK
– 2024 Defensive Lineman
Joining Yarbrough on the defensive line is 2024 defensive lineman
XaDavien Sims
XaDavien
Sims
6'4" | 275 lbs | DL
Durant | 2024
State
OK
. The star defensive lineman comes to Durant from Sherman after dominating down in Texas for the last two seasons. We mentioned this when we found out about the Sims move to Oklahoma. Sims immediately becomes the state’s top 2024 prospect the second he steps into Durant High School. He’s that dominating of a prospect and he already has offers from all over the country. The combination of Sims and Yarbrough is going to be scary. And with them both moving into the Durant district, it’s not crazy to say that Durant has the top overall football prospects in the state’s 2024 and 2026 classes.
More Names To Know
Aiden Dills – 2023 Running Back
Jacob Ingram – 2023 Tight End
Kaydon Archer – 2023 Offensive/Defensive Lineman
Mason Bacu – 2025 Running Back/Linebacker
Ryder Jones – 2025 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back
Tucker Dry
Tucker
Dry
6'5" | 295 lbs | OL
Durant | 2024
State
OK
– 2024 Offensive Lineman
2022 Schedule/Games To Circle
Sept. 2 – Broken Bow
Sept. 9 – AT Rogers
Sept. 16 – AT Ada
Sept. 23 – Sapulpa
– After non-district play wraps up, it’s all about the road to the playoffs and that will begin in week four at home against Sapulpa. The first three weeks of the season are just gearing up for district play. And we’re going to find out exactly where the Lions are at as a team and a program as they open up district play at home against Sapulpa. The Chieftains are a team that are definitely in the mix for a playoff spot coming out of this district. Durant will need to get a win here to avoid needing help later on in the season. It’s only week four but a win here could really help their playoff hopes and a loss will definitely hurt their chances on the playoffs.
Sept. 30 – AT Glenpool
Oct. 7 – East Central
Oct. 13 – AT Coweta
Oct. 21 – McAlester
Oct. 28 – AT Memorial
Nov. 3 – Del City
– It’s week ten and the final week of the regular season when the Lions welcome Del City to town. Durant will benefit from having three of their four toughest district opponents have to come to their place this season. At this point in the year, the Lions are going to know exactly where they stand within the district. They’ll either be fighting for their playoff lives at this point or simply playing spoiler as they’ll have another year end without a playoff appearance. This game is going to feature a ton of talent on both sidelines and specifically on the defensive side of the ball. Both teams have multiple guys who have either committed or have major offers on defense.
Notable
The Durant Lions are hoping to turn around this football program and turn it into a playoff contender for the first time in a long time. They’ve played ten seasons of football since their last trip to the playoffs in 2011. You have to back even further to find their last playoff victory in 1994. In fact, the last six playoff appearances they’ve made, they’ve been bounced out in the first round. The Lions have to crawl before they can walk and walk before they can run. First they have to have a winning season and finish in one of the top four spots to get a playoff appearance. Then from there, it’s time for the next step in the process. The Lions won’t turn into a championship contender overnight and it won’t happen as soon as this year, but they can begin that process and it begins with contending within their own district.
Championship History
2 State Championships
1983 – Beat Bristow 14-0
1979 – Beat Wewoka 38-32