Darrell Thompson ranks top four RBs in recent team history

[BleedGopher]

per Marcus, Thompson ranked the top RBs since 1998:

Laurence Maroney (3,933 career yards 2003-05) — “Maroney could get you a yard. He run over you, he’d run by you. He was a ferocious competitor. His speed was pretty incredible.”

Marion Barber III (3,276 career yards 2001-04) — “Barber had good speed. Great quickness. He could operate in space. He had really nice vision and patience. A lot of what you saw even in the NFL is what you saw from him in college. He was masterful of making something out of nothing, which is what Cobb does a really good job of.”

Gary Russell (1,274 career yards 2004-05) — “Gary Russell had tremendous speed and tremendous balance with the ability to get small and get through a hole. Russell was a talent. Gary should’ve been in the top two or three but (left school early).”

Thomas Tapeh (1,958 career yards 2000-03) — “It’s kind of hard to ignore when you look at somebody and the career he had with his flexibility to play fullback and tailback.”

http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers...der-darrell-thompsons-top-5-rbs-team-history/

Go Gophers!!

 

[mkAz]

I think we can put Cobb ahead of Russell and Tapeh at this point.

 

[Gophers09]

Pretty incredible the amount of talent at the RB position, at relatively the same time

 

[Dilemina]

What about Hamner and Redmon
And Terry Jackson. All awesome.

 

[everybody knows my name]

I have a soft spot for Chris Darkins. 294 yards in a game against Purdue, wasn't it?

 

[GopherHomer]

I have a soft spot for Chris Darkins. 294 yards in a game against Purdue, wasn't it?

According to Northwestern fans, the stats in that game were misleading and Purdue actually shut down our running game.

 

[STPGopher]

What about Hamner and Redmon
And Terry Jackson. All awesome.

We can't forget that all three of those backs carried the team at one point. Hamner was key in helping us get back to respectability. Redmon and Jackson helped us maintain it. I still remember Tellis with his hands on his hips looking back toward the bench during the Micron PC bowl. They really had noone to take a few carries.

Crazy that Pinnix wasn't even mentioned. A solid back, better role model.

BTW Darkins didn't make the list because they started the list at 1998.

 

[Governor Sibley]

And to think Gary probably never worked out a day in his life.

 

[DarrenTheGreek]

I've always ranked Barber above Maroney. I also don't know if I'd put Tapeh that high. He never really took over a game like the others could.

 

[Gopher07]

Cobb just passed Tapeh vs Michigan in career rush yards. There's not a chance he catches the other two, but he should sit comfortably in third by the time this season is over. I would definitely rank him #3 out of the recent backs, behind Barbarian and LoMo

 

[STPGopher]

I've always ranked Barber above Maroney. I also don't know if I'd put Tapeh that high. He never really took over a game like the others could.

I do agree with you overall. Maybe he didn't take over the game, but he put a dagger into Arkansas in the Music City Bowl. Barber and Maroney owe much of their success in the Michigan game(and others) to Tapeh. He was a one man wrecking crew. Besides he's a St.Paul guy, so much love for him!

 

[Winnipegopher]

I rank Cobb ahead of all of them.

The Gophers had such a great running game that whoever got carries got yards. Witness the year Terry Jackson got over 1000 and then transferred and rarely played at Southern Illinois. Amir Pinnix also got a 1000 in 2006. Basically, we had a perfect storm of talent and a perfect offensive scheme for running the ball. Fast forward 2006 to 2013 after having had a long drought of not having a great back along comes Cobb who instantly is heads and tails above Williams and Kirkwood.

 

[DoubleB]

What about Hamner and Redmon
And Terry Jackson. All awesome.

what people forget is that these guys were talented but had a really good OL in front of them. the Zone blocking was just amazing and if only the HC could have recruited enough talent for both sides of the ball.......

 

[jamalo]

I think we can put Cobb ahead of Russell and Tapeh at this point.

Not Russell if he would have stayed with the team

 

[Jaykay]

Not Russell if he would have stayed with the team

But he didn't.

 

[jamalo]

But he didn't.

Talk to Marcus; it's his list

 

[Word]

I think the thing that's holding back Cobb from being on this list is top-end speed. He's not really a threat to break off a really big run. He has great vision and patience, but there never seems to be a threat of a 70-yard run. Maroney, Russell, and Darkins all had that capability. Don't get me wrong, I like Cobb and hope he has a great future, but I just don't see him as elite and I doubt he'll ever do much in the NFL.

 

[Nomellini]

Wisconsin 2005. Mason gives it to Maroney three straight times when Gophers need a first down badly in their own end in last two minutes. I have always thought that Russell would have picked up that first down, averting the blocked punt and so much misery.

 

[Maximus]

I think the thing that's holding back Cobb from being on this list is top-end speed. He's not really a threat to break off a really big run. He has great vision and patience, but there never seems to be a threat of a 70-yard run. Maroney, Russell, and Darkins all had that capability.

Longest career rushes
Russell 61 Cobb 60 Darkins 56

Russell's best was in that win at Michigan. He was caught from behind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88nLh3qykbU

Sources
Darkins pg 118 of gopher media guide
Russell http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2005-2006/m-footbl-stats-05.html
Cobb also has a 59 yard run

 

[Word]

Longest career rushes
Russell 61 Cobb 60 Darkins 56

Russell's best was in that win at Michigan. He was caught from behind.

Sources
Darkins pg 118 of gopher media guide
Russell http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2005-2006/m-footbl-stats-05.html

Interesting stats. I'd be curious to see how many 30+ yard rushes each had rather than just the longest. I just don't see that many from Cobb.
As I was digging through some stats I saw even Rodrick Williams had a 54 yard run and Nelson had a 48 yard run.

Edit: Also - FWIW - Cobb has a career yards per carry average of 5.3, Maroney was 6.0, Barber III was 5.7, Russell was 6.1, and Darkins was 5.2.

 

[Ski U Master]

Pretty incredible the amount of talent at the RB position, at relatively the same time

Mason did 3 things right, recruit RBs, recruit O-line that fit his scheme, run that sick cut blocking offensive line scheme. I loved watching that group block for Maroney and Barber.

 

[60's Guy]

I think we can put Cobb ahead of Russell and Tapeh at this point.

I agree! On Maroney and Barber...don't forget, they had holes to run through. Yes, they ran hard! But as Limegrover said, "Cobb is amazing". They look at the tape and there is nothing there but it ends up a Cobb 7 yard gain. Maybe he's too quietly impressive for some of you? His style is different than Maroney and Barber. Cobb is not flashy or charismatic but I wonder with the holes provided how M&B would do on this team with no where to go?