NORMAN, Okla. -- Quarterback controversy? Could be a bit premature.
Quarterback intrigue? That sounds more like it.
The speculation about the starting quarterback job for the North Carolina football team officially began in the Tar Heels' 41-27 loss to No. 3 Oklahoma on Saturday night.
In one corner: Ronald Curry, senior.
In the other: Darian Durant, redshirt freshman.
After Durant replaced Curry toward the end of the third quarter and guided the Tar Heels to their only two touchdown drives of the game, what seemed an absolute certainty heading into the season -- Curry as permanent starter -- suddenly was tinged with a bit of doubt.
But UNC coach John Bunting made the status of the position clear after the game.
"Ronald Curry's my quarterback right now," Bunting said. "But Darian's going to play some football for us this year, there's no doubt about it. He's a playmaker."
Incumbent starter Curry, who came to UNC four years ago as one of the most heralded freshmen in the nation, looked like the same Curry of the past few seasons, missing his receivers badly and generally appearing uncomfortable.
With about four minutes left in the third quarter, Oklahoma linebacker Rocky Calmus sacked Curry on the last play of the quarterback's final series, leaving him 5-of-14 for 74 yards with an interception that was returned for a touchdown.
"I don't think I played well," said Curry, who was picked off by Oklahoma cornerback Derrick Strait in the second quarter.
"I think that Darian came in and did an excellent job. I feel like if I would have played the way Darian played, then we probably would have won the game."
Durant, after a three-and-out on his first series, guided the Tar Heels on a six-play, 86-yard touchdown drive that cut OU's lead to 41-21 with 14:09 left in the game. He was
3-of-5 for 49 yards for the series, broke off a 19-yard run and capped the drive with a 26-yard strike to Chesley Borders.
On UNC's next possession, Durant hit wideout Kory Bailey for a 42-yard gain on fourth-and-10, setting up a 1-yard TD pass to Brandon Russell. He finished 12 of 26 for 152 yards and also led the team with 41 yards rushing.
"Ever since high school, I've been able to make plays," said Durant, who, like Curry, has a strong arm and good mobility.
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"And that was my goal, just to go out there and make a couple plays. And it turned out that I had a pretty good game."
But Durant also played down any possible controversy.
"Ronald's still the man," Durant said.
"And my job is just to come and relieve him from time to time and get a little bit of experience right now. So he's still the man.
"There's no kind of controversy whatsoever."
The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.
