by By Shauna Staveley , Sentinel & Enterprise

Ryan Durand, a 6-foot-5, 303-pound right offensive guard for the Orange, said he will leave this Saturday for Houston as an invitee to the Division 1 East-West Shrine Classic.

The Shrine Classic, reserved for some of the best players in college football, takes place at 4 p.m. on Jan. 17 and will be televised on ESPN2, according to the Classic's official Web site.

"I'm excited, it's a great honor," Durand said. "I was surprised. It was when they were kind of announcing the Senior Bowl stuff, which I didn't get invited to. I was waiting on it and waiting on it and when I heard I got invited (to the Shrine Classic), I was excited."

It's not surprising he earned such an invitation.

Durand was an Outland Trophy candidate -- an award reserved for the top offensive lineman in college football -- before the season started.

He's also a 2008 All-Big East Conference Second Team selection.

He anchored a Syracuse line that excelled in run blocking this year.

The Orange ran for 1,784 yards this season, led by running back Curtis Brinkley (1,193 yards, 4.9 yards per carry, 7 touchdowns) according to Syracuse University's Web site.

Durand also protected quarterback Cam Dantley, who threw for 1,298 yards, including 11 touchdowns, and had an efficiency rating of 102.12 this season.

"I thought I did really well," Durand said. "Our offensive line did much better than we did previously. Me, personally, it was my best (year)."

St. Bernard's head varsity football coach Tom Bingham said the entire St. Bernard's community is excited about Durand's Shrine Classic invitation, as well as his overall success as a Syracuse student and football player.

"To have those accomplishments and maintain the high academic honors as the same time is something certainly to be proud of," Bingham said. "Everyone in the St. Bernard's community is excited and thrilled, and (is) watching. It's hard to be anywhere down there without people asking how he's doing, or how his next journey is going. It's pretty neat."

Durand is currently back home in Fitchburg, and working with a trainer in Winchester on NFL scouting combine drills, such as the 40-yard-dash and bench press test, just in case he gets invited.

"The initial list came out, and I was not on it," Durand said of the combine. "They still have some spots to fill, so I'm hoping if I do well at this game, they'll set me up and I'll get invited."

The Shrine Classic, which he hopes will thrust him into the draft spotlight, is an event Durand said will surprise him.

All he knows is that community service is expected, as the Shrine Classic is affiliated with Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The community service concept isn't new to Durand, who said he performed a required amount of hours along with the rest of his Syracuse teammates during his career.

He said he visited with children and the elderly.

"We also did special Thanksgiving things," Durand said.

Athletic success is not all Durand has been recognized for.

He was also selected as a Second Team ESPN Magazine Academic All-American this year, which is his second consecutive selection, according to the Syracuse University Web site.

Furthermore, Durand was one of 164 semifinalists for the 2008 Draddy Trophy; an award from the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) that honors athletic success, athletic performance and community leadership, according to the NFF Web site.

"I am just a hard-working guy," Durand said. "I try to do everything to the best of my abilities."

Bingham said Durand's success, both academically and athletically, is a story he passes along to his players.

"To be able to go there and get an education and play major collegiate football and be recognized as being in the top percentage for your position in the entire country in a program that's been struggling -- to do all of that and maintain the academic standard -- is something we talk about, certainly something we teach," Bingham said. "We teach about setting goals out there, and sticking to them. It's always easy to look at that with Ryan and say that can happen."

If Durand does not end up playing professional football, he said he wants to stay in Massachusetts and pursue a physical therapy career.

He said he may want to earn his doctorate in the field.

"Oh yeah," Durand said of staying close to home if his NFL aspirations don't work out. "That's the plan."

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