THE CANADIAN PRESS

CALGARY -- There are questions about the quarterbacks on both sides of the football Friday in Calgary.

How will Calgary's Drew Tate fare in his first CFL start and against his former team?

Why is Saskatchewan's Darian Durant playing when he has a broken bone in his foot and the Roughriders (4-11) are already eliminated from playoff contention?

Tackling the second question first, when Durant was asked whether he was asked or told to play Friday, he replied: “A and B”.

“As far as the bone goes, there's a small chance you can re-injure that, but it's the sprain in the foot that is prohibiting my mobility,” Durant said Thursday at McMahon Stadium. “It's just a situation where coach asked me to play and I'm going to do what I'm told and this is my job and I'll leave it at that.”

For the first time since July 1, 2005, Henry Burris will not start for the Stampeders (8-7) for reasons other than injury or resting for the playoffs.

Tate, who was on Saskatchewan's practice roster in 2007 and 2008, will take Calgary's first snap deep into his third season of playing behind Burris. It's the 27-year-old Texan's first start since his senior year at Iowa.

“Pretty excited about it. Not going to lie. I've been sitting in a cage now for awhile and I'm going to come out flying,” Tate said.

Instead of giving either backup Ryan Dinwiddie or Cole Bergquist the ball first Friday, Roughrider head coach Ken Miller says he wants Durant on the field to start the game Friday.

“Darian is not in any significant risk of further injuring his foot,” Miller declared. “Darian is still, even though he's been a starter for us and been to Grey Cups, he's still an emerging quarterback for us.

“Any snap that he takes in a real football game helps his development and growth. It will help him as he looks forward to next season and the season after. He's one of the primary leaders on our team.

“You can second-guess every decision. Right now, we're going to do it the way I've decided to do it. I'm not going to let people outside the organization dictate how I go about doing that.”

Saskatchewan defeated Calgary in the West Division final en route to the Grey Cup game the last two years. The rivalry that has built between them – they've met in a playoff game three of the last four years – was distinctly lacking in 2011. Calgary won three previous meetings this season and the last one 40-3 in Week 14.

Their final regular-season matchup Friday lacks its usual playoff portent.

“Especially for myself, it's unfamiliar territory,” Durant admitted. “Ever since I've been here, we've met Calgary in the playoffs except I think for '08.

“It's definitely different and something that I don't want to get used to so hopefully . . .  I'm going to do all I can to make sure this is the only year that happens.”

Since their win over Saskatchewan, the Stampeders have lost two straight games on field goals to both the B.C. Lions and Toronto Argonauts. Calgary may have a playoff berth locked up, but their 2-5 record since Labour Day has eroded their confidence.

In announcing earlier this week that Tate will start in place of Burris, head coach and general manager John Hufnagel said Burris had played “a bit hesitant” in his last seven games.

“We need to win a football game,” Hufnagel said. “We played two games on the road, we fell behind in both games and then played some spectacular football to get back into the football game and take the lead. We just weren't able to finish it.

“We're not far from being a winning team. Although we still have a winning record, you have to take what has happened over the last month and a half and we've had more than our share of disappointments. The close games that we've won at the beginning of the season, ended up being losses in the last month and a half.”

Calgary needs wins, and losses by B.C. and Edmonton (both 9-6), to keep alive any hope of a home playoff game this season. A Stampeder loss Friday and wins by both the Lions and Eskimos this weekend eliminates that possibility.

“I think our confidence is shaken a bit, just because of what has transpired in the last two games.,” Hufnagel said.

“We played some spectacular football over the last two weeks, but we need to have that trust in each other, that when it comes crunch time, whatever unit is on the field is going to seal the deal.

“Until we do that, there's always going to be that little bit of a doubt, but are the players confident they are a good team? Yes, I believe so. But not as highly confident this month as they were last month.”

The Stampeders have inserted Tate to run in short-yardage situations since last season. He performed well and gave Calgary a chance to win when he replaced Burris last week in Toronto. Tate completed 19 of 28 passes for 263 yards and threw a pair of touchdown passes in the 31-29 loss.

He may not have the same power in his arm as Burris, but Tate doesn't intend to play cautiously.

“I've never played conservative in my life and it's probably a style of football that's gotten me where I am today,” he said. “To change in a week, not going to happen.”

The thousands of Roughrider fans who attend games at McMahon Stadium add to the atmosphere, but a ticket sales for Friday's game were sluggish Thursday at less than 29,000.

Another question in Friday's game is, will this be the last appearance at McMahon for 17-year 'Rider offensive lineman Gene Makowsky? The Saskatoon native is running for the Saskatchewan Party in the provincial election Nov. 7 in the riding of Regina Dewdney.

“I usually leave career decisions for the end of the season,” the 38-year-old said. “We'll see how things shake out with my future. I can't predict how things will work out, especially on the seventh. I'll make a decision with my family and I'm sure the 'Riders will have something to say about that as well.”