Comparison: Rodney Smith & Shannon Brooks to the tadem of Maroney and Barber III?

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The question was, will Smith and Brooks be talked about and comparisons made to Maroney and Barber, it did not ask if the comparison would be favorable. If they are both on pace to gain 1000 yards, midway through the season, the comparison will be made.
 

Brooks is really special. He is a more complete back than Cobb for sure. Maroney and Barber were great college players, Barber certainly had the better pro career. I like Brooks to leave Minnesota with some amazing records with his name attached to them.
 

The SB/RS book is still being written. We'd love to see them break LM/MB III's records as that will mean good things for the team. Let's wait until the end of the season to start the comparison to the great LM/MB III tandem. So far, I like what I see.

Don't forget the dark horses JJ/J F-C/KB. One of these may become a pleasant surprise as the season progresses. David Cobb seized his opportunity when Donnell Kirkwood got injured. We may have a three headed running attack for all I know.
 

JFC is a real sleeper. Coming from Canada he didn't play against the toughest competition.
Be interesting to see how quick he picks things up
 

Until there is a comparable OL for these two guys (could be this year) as Barber and Maroney had we can not accurately compare. Last was not an indication of things to come with the OL performance like it was. Likely our OL will take a year to two to peak. I think the ND kid can be a factor too. We need depth at RB just like every other position.
 


Unregistered User said:
Until he shows it in a game, he should be considered nowhere near Maroney

You did not succeed.
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Ha! Well I caught the open practice and Brooks looks sensational. I would also argue he has showed in games that he's an incredible running back. His ypc was exceptional. Will be fun to watch him this year behind what I hope is a much improved OL.

I think I did.
 

ruppertflywheel said:
JFC is a real sleeper. Coming from Canada he didn't play against the toughest competition.
Be interesting to see how quick he picks things up
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The guy is absolutely jacked, but he doesn't have great balance. He fell down a lot in the spring game and also tripped up a few times at practice. I would be surprised if he can beat out the other three but it would be a good problem to have if he could.
 

No one will be Barber and Maroney. But I would take Brooks and Smith as second in any category. Amen, brothers.
 

diehard said:
Until there is a comparable OL for these two guys (could be this year) as Barber and Maroney had we can not accurately compare. Last was not an indication of things to come with the OL performance like it was. Likely our OL will take a year to two to peak.
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This is the big difference. Setterstrom and Eslinger were much better than anyone we saw on the o line last year. Hopefully we see improvement this year. Maroney was clearly NFL material and it was just assumed he would be drafted in the upper rounds of the NFL draft. Reminds me of the Eric Murray situation last year.
 



I remember the dreaded Friday night Michigan loss. At halftime in the concourse getting a beverage the Michigan fans were beside themselves because Carr couldn't stop Barber and Maroney. Standing in the line, the one Michigan guy said: "Why in fu-k didn't we recruit Maroney? We don't have a guy on our team that could catch him if he gets in the open." Then of
course in the second half we couldn't stop the bubble screen.
 

ruppertflywheel said:
I remember the dreaded Friday night Michigan loss. At halftime in the concourse getting a beverage the Michigan fans were beside themselves because Carr couldn't stop Barber and Maroney. Standing in the line, the one Michigan guy said: "Why in fu-k didn't we recruit Maroney? We don't have a guy on our team that could catch him if he gets in the open." Then of
course in the second half we couldn't stop the bubble screen.
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+1 Navarre to Perry. Rinse, lather, repeat...:mad:
 





I think Brooks has a big year this year as well as next year and leaves for the pros early. I don't think either Smith or Brooks compare well to Maroney or Barber. The only back we have that is the bruiser like Barber is Mc'Cray.
 

Frank Grimey Grimes said:
I think Brooks has a big year this year as well as next year and leaves for the pros early. I don't think either Smith or Brooks compare well to Maroney or Barber. The only back we have that is the bruiser like Barber is Mc'Cray.
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Did you watch Brooks last year? I would say he compares favorably, but Brooks has more lateral quickness.
 

Section2 said:
Did you watch Brooks last year? I would say he compares favorably, but Brooks has more lateral quickness.
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I would agree that Brooks is quicker in general, but I still think Maroney had the top gear speed that Brooks doesn't have. When I say compares favorably I don't mean Brooks is worse, I just don't think they are similar. Maroney had long strides that gave him breakaway speed.

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Frank Grimey Grimes said:
I would agree that Brooks is quicker in general, but I still think Maroney had the top gear speed that Brooks doesn't have. When I say compares favorably I don't mean Brooks is worse, I just don't think they are similar. Maroney had long strides that gave him breakaway speed.

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IMHO Barber/ Pinnix would be a better comparison. Maroney had more top end speed. To my knowledge, we don't have a back with that type of speed. Pinnix was shifty with good vision and was a good pass catcher. Smith and Pinnix have a similar game. Brooks and Barber are/ were very hard runners. IIRC Barber also threw a couple/ few passes.

With all of that said, it might be a little too early to compare. Brooks(and Smith) does look like he could live up to expections though.
 

Frank Grimey Grimes said:
I would agree that Brooks is quicker in general, but I still think Maroney had the top gear speed that Brooks doesn't have. When I say compares favorably I don't mean Brooks is worse, I just don't think they are similar. Maroney had long strides that gave him breakaway speed.

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I was talking about whether he's a bruiser like Barber.
 

I thought we all agreed to never speak of a certain game from the past.


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STPGopher said:
IMHO Barber/ Pinnix would be a better comparison. Maroney had more top end speed. To my knowledge, we don't have a back with that type of speed. Pinnix was shifty with good vision and was a good pass catcher. Smith and Pinnix have a similar game. Brooks and Barber are/ were very hard runners. IIRC Barber also threw a couple/ few passes.

With all of that said, it might be a little too early to compare. Brooks(and Smith) does look like he could live up to expections though.
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I agree with this. Pinnix was the real deal who got injured and lost two All-BIG O-Line teammates to graduation as well. If Smith can become the Jr. year Pinnix...I would be thrilled.

What makes it hard to project is how much better the Barber/Maroney O-Line was compared to the one Brooks/Smith had/have.

I would also be thrilled if Brooks reached Barber status.
 

Frank Grimey Grimes said:
I would agree that Brooks is quicker in general, but I still think Maroney had the top gear speed that Brooks doesn't have. When I say compares favorably I don't mean Brooks is worse, I just don't think they are similar. Maroney had long strides that gave him breakaway speed.

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Very few backs at Minnesota or anywhere else for that matter had the on the field, in pads speed that Maroney had. Maroney was also a fairly large physical back with decent balance and vision. Barber had many of those same things, but not the top end speed, but re shiftiness and incredible toughness in the way he finished runs. I am not sure if Maroney ever looked as good again after he messed up his hamstring in the Indiana game in 2005.

Brooks does remind me somewhat of Barber, and not much of Maroney. He might have a little of Gary Russell in him as well.

I think Brooks has a bigger upside to dominate games than Smith, but Smith is also very solid. The Gophers have the best group of backs they have had since 2005, and it is not even close.
 

ruppertflywheel said:
No comparison. Maybe close to Gary Russell , Pinnix and Terry Jackson who transfered out because of Maroney and Barber. The best 5 yd run I"be ever seen was the 3rd down run Maroney made on the drive Lloyd kicked the winning FG against Oregon in the Sun Bowl.The LB and safety both had an angle on him 3 yards behind the line of scrimmage The safety had come up expecting the run Maroney cut to the outside and put a move on the safety that stopped him in his tracks. The LB had him zeroed in two yards past the scrimmage line and he juked him
and got the 4 yards for the first down. Two Oregon people were sitting next to us and just shook their heads in amazement. Very seldom did he and Barber get tackled for a loss.
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That play was on a 4th down, but yes. Incredible run.
 


If they both rush for 1000 yards the next 3 seasons...
They both will have fewer yards in their 4 seasons than Maroney had in his 3.


If they both rush for 1000 yards in their next two seasons they both will have fewer yards in 3 seasons than MB3 had in his career (he left with a year of eligibility left).
 

Hard to rush for 1000 when you miss the first 3 games
 

Holy crap.

I hope I did not put the hex on Shannon by starting this thread.
 

Spoofin said:
Let's all agree that SB and RS are very talented RBs that have reached no where near the level of LM or MBIII yet. This comparison at this time is ridiculous.


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Could not agree more. Maroney and Barber was something special that doesn't come around very often. Brooks and Smith can have great Gopher careers and still not fall into the same class as those two. I get the excitement because they both are definitely talented but it is way too soon to speculate on them reaching the level of Maroney and Barber.
 

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