Was just thinking. Will Gopher fans recall Cobb w/ same reverence as Maroney/Barber?

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husker70 said:
Any discussion of Minnesota Running Backs has to start with Darrell Thompson. He featured a power game, at 6 foot and about 220 he could run over or sprint past defenders. Running from the wishbone or I he could take it to the house. He was a force in the screen game. He is still the career rushing leader. If you were not lucky enough to have seen him, the only question I have is why he didn't get more carries.
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Yep. He was the best in the modern era.
 

The only Minnesota modern era back I would rate ahead of Cobb is Darrel Thompson

tikited said:
Yep. He was the best in the modern era.
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Thomspon had breakaway speed and could take a long run to the house.
Yes I would place David Cobb with the same reverence level as BarberIII and Maroney, with this caveat, those guys played with better QB's and had more weapons as far as the offense goes at the times of those guys careers.
David Cobb has had to be the focal point for this Gopher offense because he is the best playmaker and option we currently have.
Even though Cobb played less years, for me, and my perspective he has had just as major an impact on the Gopher football program, winning key rivalry games with Iowa, Michigan, and Penn State as those other backs. The program has been elevated and he had a major hand in accomplishing that. Team MVP for 2014 so yes I would say Cobb should be remembered as an Elite Gopher running back.
There are only three other backs in recent history that can claim the Pig and the jug during there careers and those backs are Thompson, BarberIII/Maroney and now David Cobb.
It will be interesting to see what kind of pro career David Cobb will have. He can run up the middle and break tackles, as long as he doesn't go to a team that relies on edge rushers, and teams that like running outside zone or quick developing stretch plays, I could see Cobb having a decent to significant healthy pro career, one that allows him to make some money and take care of his family. Not sure what kind of pass catcher he will be, he should go to one of those camps in the offseason that have QB's that throw the ball to the backs a lot as he did not get that kind of work in Minneosta. Hope he get's a combine invite.
 

In the immortal words of Napolean Dynamite "Heck Yeah !'
 

afurry91 said:
Whether or not he has a long NFL career will play into it too. Maroney and Barber were in the league for 6 or 7 years.

We would have a much different opinion of Maroney, Barber and Decker if they fizzled out in the NFL after 2 years.

Same with Hageman. His NFL career will have a large impact on how Gopher fans remember him.

It might not be fair, but that's how the vast majority think.
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What happens in the NFL does play a part. My recollection of Maroney and Barber is mostly from their pro careers. Many "experts" have said Cobb should be an excellent NFL back. I hope he hooks on the right team. A big day on Jan. 1 will help his legacy.
 

Whoever drafts Cobb in the second round or so will have a bargain.

Barring injury with four preseason and sixteen regular season games, he will have a great career if he goes to the right team.

What is the average running back longevity in the pros? Five or six years?
 


Cobb exceeds all the other backs for his contribution to the team. #1 in my book. Most reliable back.
 

hungan1 said:
Whoever drafts Cobb in the second round or so will have a bargain.

Barring injury with four preseason and sixteen regular season games, he will have a great career if he goes to the right team.

What is the average running back longevity in the pros? Five or six years?
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I don't think he will go in the 2nd. My guess is he'll go anywhere from the 3rd to 6th rounds. Most projections I've seen have him in the 4th or 5th. This is a deeper draft for RBs though and not a lot get selected early any more.

His 40 time at the combine could help or hurt his draft stock.
 

Thompson.jpg


Anyone who can enlarge this will get a better sense of his size. The sense at the time, was he was the second coming of Hershel Walker.
 

Just the mention of TWO amazing RB's Maroney & Barber...Cobb is all-around, sustainable (durable) and has been an underdog from the beginning and will be a steal in the NFL draft if in anything below 2 rounds IMHO
 



Not sure Cobb has any nfl quality linemen and a nfl fullback (the snowplow, tapeh) in front of him, as others have
I think only DT, LM and Cobb have exceeded 2600 yds in a two year span. I'd take them in that order. But, Cobb is going to have a very good nfl career
 

DT going 98 yards is probably the single greatest run in modern Gopher history.

David Cobb could not have done that in a million years.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I don't think he will go in the 2nd. My guess is he'll go anywhere from the 3rd to 6th rounds. Most projections I've seen have him in the 4th or 5th. This is a deeper draft for RBs though and not a lot get selected early any more.

His 40 time at the combine could help or hurt his draft stock.
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Most projections I've seen have him as a 2-4. CBS lists him as a 3rd rounder. Rotoworld has him as the #7 back which is a 2-3 round projection. nfldraftscout.com ranks him the #2 senior RB in the nation.

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husker70 said:
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Anyone who can enlarge this will get a better sense of his size. The sense at the time, was he was the second coming of Hershel Walker.
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I have a buddy who was on the Michigan team in 1986 and before that Gopher game (a 20-17 victory over #2 Michigan at Ann Arbor), Bo Schembechler played a highlight reel of Thompson from earlier in that season, and said nothing for 20 minutes. When the reel was over, Bo simply said: "You've just watched the 1989 Heisman Trophy winner".

There is a friggin' B10 award named after him, FFS.

Yeah, he was something to watch.

But his daughter is a volleyball player for whiskey. I'm ready to disown him.
 


die hard gopher said:
Most projections I've seen have him as a 2-4. CBS lists him as a 3rd rounder. Rotoworld has him as the #7 back which is a 2-3 round projection. nfldraftscout.com ranks him the #2 senior RB in the nation.

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Thanks for the info. I guess this has changed over the past month or so. Most places projected him a little later about mid way through the season. I'd be happy with the Vikings taking him in the 3rd round if Peterson is gone. He'd be a great combination with McKinnon.
 

Can't rule out that one of the greatest football minds in the modern era drafted Maroney in the first round.
 

The hype for Cobb, who has had two terrific seasons, simply doesn't match that of Barber or Maroney. It seems more comparable to Gary Russell or Amir Pinnix. However, if David Cobb has a great NFL career, I think he'll be retroactively elevated in status by Gopher fans, especially casual fans who have become more aware of him during the Big Ten season in 2015.
 

Let's ask Ruppert's wife what she thinks. She is an expert in many things after all. Ruppert can you throw her a line on this question and get back to us? Thanks. ;)
 

Sports_Realist said:
The hype for Cobb, who has had two terrific seasons, simply doesn't match that of Barber or Maroney. It seems more comparable to Gary Russell or Amir Pinnix. However, if David Cobb has a great NFL career, I think he'll be retroactively elevated in status by Gopher fans, especially casual fans who have become more aware of him during the Big Ten season in 2015.
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year two one carry for eight yards (in the Iowa loss). Can't recall, did cobb get injured early year two? Kirkwood then Williams and QBs were carrying the running load
 

Great question and one I really don't have an answer for. I think the fact that Mason had two 1,000 yard rushers two years in a row really put a spotlight on Maroney and Barber (and Russell).

Agree that the offenses were very different and that this line has a way of imposing its will that is welcome.

I used to have a better idea on which college players would succeed at the pro level, but the pro game has become so specialized that it's more of a challenge now. I'm guessing Cobb is a late 2nd day/early 3rd day guy, probably 3rd or 4th round. Not a home run guy, but reads his blocks well. Could be a bit of a tweener in that he's not a pounder like Le'Veon Bell and he's not a scat back. I'll let the guys who grade players for a living figure out where he should go, but I think Cobb has a very good shot of contributing at the next level.
 

Yes, I think Cobb is actually a more integral part of these teams then either Barber or Maroney weremostly because they had each other and Cobb is carrying all of the load. Both my group of friends and my sons hold him in the same regard as those other two, for what it's worth.
 

Absolutely I will. Cobb earned a lot of his yards (YAContact) and he was such a patient runner that it amazes me. I think he has a chance to be a successful professional, but even if that doesn't work out, Cobb is an all time favorite for me.
 

Cobb is a fantastic back, but he isn't at the level of Barber or Maroney.

With those guys (and with Darrell Thompson too) you always felt like anything could happen. Cobb is more of an "old reliable" sort, who consistently gives you 3-10 yards and once in a while breaks a longer run but regularly gets caught from behind.

I have a lot of favorite Gophers, but Barber and Thompson are top of the list for me. I'll never forget Thompson's 200 yard game as a baby freshman. I was 12 years old, fishing with my uncle, and while Thompson kept popping these long touchdown runs, my uncle and I just kept looking at each other and laughing.
 

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