October 20 and 21 will be a once-in-a-lifetime football weekend for the Barber family of suburban Minneapolis. On Saturday Dom Barber, a senior, plays one of his last games for the University of Minnesota against North Dakota State in the Metrodome. On Sunday former Gopher and older brother Marion Barber III plays against the hometown Minnesota Vikings in Dallas.
All the focus on Dom and Marion will make a statement as to how exceptional these former Wayzata High School stars have become. Dom, among the better strong safeties in college football, will have four games remaining in his Gopher career after Saturday. Marion, now in his third season with the Cowboys, has been enhancing his reputation as one of the NFL’s best young running backs and will play Sunday against the Vikings for the first time in a regular season game.
Success in football, of course, is associated with the Barber name. Dad Marion II was one of the best running backs ever at the University of Minnesota. He ranked second in all-time career touchdowns at Minnesota with 34 before his son scored 35 to come within five touchdowns of tying Darrell Thompson’s record total of 40. Marion II played several seasons in the NFL.
The Vikings and the rest of the NFL missed out when they didn’t choose the younger Marion in the 2005 draft. The Cowboys used a fourth round pick to select him, who along with Laurence Maroney made up the Gophers’ best one-two running back combo in school history.
Marion had to experience the challenge of not only learning the pro game but doing it under tough guy coach Bill Parcells. In a surprising rookie season, Marion played in 13 games (started two) while rushing for 538 yards and five touchdowns.
Last season he played in all 16 regular season games (started one) while rushing for 654 and 14 touchdowns. Through the early part of this season only three NFL players had scored more touchdowns than Marion’s five, although as in the past he is still sharing playing time with Julius Jones and had not started a game.
“I think Marion Barber right now is truly one of the great young backs in the National Football League,” Gopher football coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners last week. “I think he’s got a chance to be a featured back now. He can be an every down back. He’s an outstanding pass receiver. He’s a blocker. He’s one of the more complete backs that I see in the National Football League.”
First as a Gopher and now as a Cowboy, Barber is still running for tough yards, showing emotion and strength as he moves toward the goal line. Among his roles with the Cowboys has been as a third down rusher.
Brewster followed Marion when he was an assistant coach in the NFL. “I know this, when we were in San Diego (as an assistant coach to Marty Schottenheimer) we loved him,” Brewster said. “I was in Denver (and) Mike Shanahan loved Marion. Absolutely loved his ability.
“Every time he touches the ball he’s productive. He doesn’t lose yards. He’s a guy that moves the chains. Strong, powerful. …”
Where does Brewster rank Marion among NFL backs? “If you’re trying to figure out I want one of the top 10 backs in the National Football League, I certainly believe Marion’s got to be one of them. …I think he’s on the cusp of doing something, really break out type stuff. …”