Greatest Gopher of the Decade

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SJUgopher

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It's the end of the decade. I thought it would be nice to start a thread discussing who was the Gopher Football "Player of the Decade."

As up and down this decade has been, I think there are some good choices.

Greg Eslinger
Mark Setterstrom
Lawrence Maroney
Marion Barber III
Eric Decker

Discuss.
 


SJUgopher said:
It's the end of the decade. I thought it would be nice to start a thread discussing who was the Gopher Football "Player of the Decade."

As up and down this decade has been. I think there are some good choices.

Greg Eslinger
Mark Setterstrom
Lawrence Maroney
Marion Barber III
Eric Decker

Discuss.
Click to expand...

Sweet thread idea

Eslinger over the running backs since he won the top individual trophy for his position. It's close, which is nice to be able to say for the program. We've had some great players this decade.
 

I working on a list of 10. The five you've listed are gimmes. Willie's in the top 10, Weber had a chance before this year. Spaeth's on my list, maybe Wheelwright too. Anybody I'm forgetting?
 

Great thread idea.

Eslinger, simply the best at his position and according to the SI all decade team the best in the nation. Decker could have really done something special if he hadn't gotten hurt. Actually scratch that he still did do something special but could have been even better if he hadn't gotten hurt. To me MBIII and Maroney were the tandem running game of the decade (at least that I can think of) but they kind of cancel each other out for individual awards like this.
 


We should do an all decade team, first and second. There's way too many nominees for a ten person list. We could do one position at a time using the poll, and then prepare a compiled list and get the mods to back it.

Then we could take the first teamers and make a poll of just them and get the all decade player.
 

Cupito finished at the top of many school QB record lists. Greg White. Tapeh. Russell is a woulda, coulda, shoulda. Early senior moment on the TE's name who's having concussion problems right now... Was Hamilton at least part of the 2000's?
 

Izatys98 said:
Cupito finished at the top of many school QB record lists. Greg White. Tapeh. Russell is a woulda, coulda, shoulda. Early senior moment on the TE's name who's having concussion problems right now... Was Hamilton at least part of the 2000's?
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Ben Utecht
 










Laurence Maroney and Marian Barber should be up there. What about Ben Hamilton?
 

Schnoodler said:
We should do an all decade team, first and second. There's way too many nominees for a ten person list. We could do one position at a time using the poll, and then prepare a compiled list and get the mods to back it.

Then we could take the first teamers and make a poll of just them and get the all decade player.
Click to expand...

+1
 

I'm tempted to say Eslinger, who personally cost me a high school state championship. However, I have to say it starts and ends with Marion Barber--hands down greatest Gopher of the 'aughts.
 

AhliBobwa said:
I'm tempted to say Eslinger, who personally cost me a high school state championship. However, I have to say it starts and ends with Marion Barber--hands down greatest Gopher of the 'aughts.
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I think most people would say Maroney was a better college player than Barber.


Barber's Career Rushing Stats
Year G Att Yds Avg. TD Long
2001 11 118 742 6.3 7 40
2002 2 19 69 3.6 0 27
2003 13 207 1,196 5.8 17 45
Totals 26 344 2,007 5.8 24 45


LAURENCE MARONEY STATS Rushing
Statistics Att Yds Avg TD
2005 281 1,464 5.2 10
2004 217 1,348 6.2 12
2003 162 1,121 6.9 10
Career 660 3,933 6.0 32
 



SJUgopher said:
I think most people would say Maroney was a better college player than Barber.
:pig::pig::confused::pig::pig:

Barber's Career Rushing Stats
Year G Att Yds Avg. TD Long
2001 11 118 742 6.3 7 40
2002 2 19 69 3.6 0 27
2003 13 207 1,196 5.8 17 45
Totals 26 344 2,007 5.8 24 45


LAURENCE MARONEY STATS Rushing
Statistics Att Yds Avg TD
2005 281 1,464 5.2 10
2004 217 1,348 6.2 12
2003 162 1,121 6.9 10
Career 660 3,933 6.0 32
Click to expand...

*Marion Barber 2004 Stats
Att Yds Avg TD
231 1,269 5.5 11

Total--3,276 (in 3 seasons, Barber got injured and took a medical redshirt in 2002)

Maroney and Barber were both unbelievable college backs. That said, this is one of those issues that separates casual fans/blowhard know nothing pundits from more serious fans and knowledgeable experts. If you looked purely at the yards per carry average they would slightly favor Maroney (5.2, 6.2, and 6.9 yards versus 6.3, 5.8, and 5.5 yards in each player's 3 most productive seasons.

However, there is a lot that is left out of that equation. Glen Mason's offense was an intricate and elaborate network of plays highlighted by myriad ball fakes and pulling linemen. Maroney's strength was his lightning speed and decisive 1 cut style. Barber was a tough nosed power back who virtually never lost yardage on a play, had exceptional balance, and broke more tackles than anyone not named Ron Dayne. Because of this Barber had a much higher percentage of his carries on plays that went between the tackes, while Maroney constantly got the ball on outside looks where he could find daylight

Barber had the speed to break away and take it to the house (which he often did), but he wasn't the burner Maroney was. Maroney was freakishly fast but struggled to shake tacklers and never developed any make you miss moves. In contrast Barber had really nice moves which he would mix in to complement his powerful style and keep the defense guessing.

In conclusion BOTH Barber and Maroney were elite college backs whose contrasting styles benefitted the other immensely. (Remember, Maroney had the worst yds/carry average of either back during the course of a full season of playing at Minnesota, and it happened once Barber had left for the pros).

Again, let me stress both were elite, but if you had to pick one Barber was the more complete back. Barber could break tackles and get you yards without any blocking, but also had the speed and agility to take it the house and outrun the defense. Maroney's speed was insane, but his lack of moves or tackle breaking ability lends the clear nod to Barber. :clap:

It's often a mistake to make blanket statements based on what one perceives 'most people' think.
 

AhliBobwa said:
*Marion Barber 2004 Stats
Att Yds Avg TD
231 1,269 5.5 11

Total--3,276 (in 3 seasons, Barber got injured and took a medical redshirt in 2002)

Maroney and Barber were both unbelievable college backs. That said, this is one of those issues that separates casual fans/blowhard know nothing pundits from more serious fans and knowledgeable experts. If you looked purely at the yards per carry average they would slightly favor Maroney (5.2, 6.2, and 6.9 yards versus 6.3, 5.8, and 5.5 yards in each player's 3 most productive seasons.

However, there is a lot that is left out of that equation. Glen Mason's offense was an intricate and elaborate network of plays highlighted by myriad ball fakes and pulling linemen. Maroney's strength was his lightning speed and decisive 1 cut style. Barber was a tough nosed power back who virtually never lost yardage on a play, had exceptional balance, and broke more tackles than anyone not named Ron Dayne. Because of this Barber had a much higher percentage of his carries on plays that went between the tackes, while Maroney constantly got the ball on outside looks where he could find daylight

Barber had the speed to break away and take it to the house (which he often did), but he wasn't the burner Maroney was. Maroney was freakishly fast but struggled to shake tacklers and never developed any make you miss moves. In contrast Barber had really nice moves which he would mix in to complement his powerful style and keep the defense guessing.

In conclusion BOTH Barber and Maroney were elite college backs whose contrasting styles benefitted the other immensely. (Remember, Maroney had the worst yds/carry average of either back during the course of a full season of playing at Minnesota, and it happened once Barber had left for the pros).

Again, let me stress both were elite, but if you had to pick one Barber was the more complete back. Barber could break tackles and get you yards without any blocking, but also had the speed and agility to take it the house and outrun the defense. Maroney's speed was insane, but his lack of moves or tackle breaking ability lends the clear nod to Barber. :clap:

It's often a mistake to make blanket statements based on what one perceives 'most people' think.
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Perfectly stated.
 

One huge aspect of Barber's and Maroney's games that hasn't been discussed is blocking. Barber was a great blocker and could pick up a blitz or a lineman that slipped through in pass protection. He absolutely leveled guys that were bigger than him. At times, Maroney couldn't block a wet paper bag. I also think he cost us the 2004 Iowa game when Barber got hurt and Maroney couldn't protect the QB when needed. Of course, he went nuts running the ball that day, but if he could only have blocked better, I think we win that game.

Anyway, Barber was the complete back, while Maroney was good and faster, he had a couple things to work on.
 

I'd say any one of Barber, Barber or Hamilton. I have a hidden agenda which shouldn't take long for die hard fans to scope out.
 

It's gotta be Eslinger, with Setterstrom as a sleeper and an honorable mention to the rest of the O-Line during the Mason years. Barber and Maroney were phenomenal, but they did it with Jackson, Russell, and Tapeh too. What they accomplished offensively over several seasons was historic:

First team in NCAA history to have two players each rush for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons

1,000 rusher in 8 straight season 1999-2006

Big Ten record of three consecutive seasons with at least 3,000 yards rushing (2003-05)

Only school in the nation to both run and pass for at least 2,000 yards eight straight seasons during that period
 

More nominations for first or second teams of the decade...

Mike Lehan
Asad Abdul-Khaliq
Bryan Cupito
Jermaine Mays (for special teams)
Jared Ellerson
Rhys Lloyd
Dom Barber
Anthony Montgomery
Brandon Owens
Ernie Wheelwright
Logan Payne

and the other guys beside Setty and Eslinger from the o line in '02, 03', 04'.....someone help me out.. Rian Melander? Shidell?
 

Justin Kuceck
that blocked punt versus Wisconsin was a thing of beauty
 

IMO...the top 10

MBIII
Maroney
Eslinger
Setterstrom
Ron Johnson
Eric Decker
Karon Riley (I know he only played a couple seasons)
Asad Abdul Khaliq
Ben Utecht
Greg White
 


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