The Barbers: The first family of Gophers football

November 4, 2017 at 2:49AM
November 20, 1977 Marion Barber crossed the goal line Saturday for the only touchdown Minnesota needed. November 19, 1977 Bruce Bisping, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Marion Barber scored a touchdown in 1977. (Star Tribune file photo by Bruce Bisping) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Maroon and Gold Barbers

A look at the Barber family and their influence on Gophers football:

Marion Barber

Running back, 1977-80

• Rushed for 3,094 yards, sixth in school history.

• Ranks third in school history with 34 rushing touchdowns.

• Second-round draft pick of the New York Jets in 1981.

• Played for Jets from 1982-88, rushing 74 times for 317 yards and three TDs.

Marion Barber III

Running back, 2001-04

• Rushed for 3,276 yards, fourth in school history.

• Ranks second in school history with 35 rushing TDs.

• Fourth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2005.

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• Played six years for Cowboys, one for Chicago Bears, rushing 1,156 times for 4,780 yards and 53 TDs.

Dom Barber

Safety, 2008-11

• Finished with 191 tackles in his career, including 100 in his senior year.

• Intercepted four passes and returned one for a TD in his junior year.

• Sixth-round pick by the Houston Texans in 2008.

• Played 39 games, seven starts, in four years with Texans and had one career interception.

Thomas Barber

Linebacker, 2016-present

• Sophomore has started all eight games, leads Big Ten in solo tackles (50) and is tied for second in total tackles with 75.

• Got his first interception against Middle Tennessee.

• Made a career-high 16 tackles against Michigan State, and had two tackles for loss and recovered a fumble.

about the writer

about the writer

Randy Johnson

College football reporter

Randy Johnson covers University of Minnesota football and college football for the Minnesota Star Tribune, along with Gophers hockey and the Wild.

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