| Dallas Cowboys — No. 24 | |
| Running back | |
| Date of Birth: June 10 1983 | |
| Place of Birth: Plymouth, Minnesota | |
| Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | Weight: 220 lb (100 kg) |
| National Football League Debut | |
|---|---|
| 2005 for the Dallas Cowboys | |
| Career Highlights and Awards | |
| Career History | |
| College: Minnesota | |
| NFL Draft: 2005 / Round: 4 / Pick: 109 | |
Teams:
|
|
| Stats at NFL.com | |
Marion Barber III (born June 10, 1983 in Plymouth, Minnesota) is an American football running back in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. He is the son of former New York Jets running back Marion Barber Jr. (1982-1988). His younger brother, Dominique Barber, is currently a safety at the University of Minnesota.
High school career
Barber attended Wayzata High School and was a standout in football, baseball and track. In football, he was a SuperPrep and PrepStar All-Midwest and consensus All-State honoree as a senior running back and as a defensive back. During his last season with the Trojans, he amassed 1,778 rushing yards with 18 touchdowns and led his team with 10 interceptions (3 of which came against Gatorade National Player of the Year and future Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer).[1] In baseball, he was a Honorable Mention All-Conference center fielder. In track, Barber qualified for the 2001 Minnesota State Class AA Championships in the 100 meters.[2]
College career
Like his father, he played college football at the University of Minnesota, finishing second on the school's all-time list for rushing touchdowns with 35, one better than his father, Marion Barber Jr.. He split backfield duties with Laurence Maroney.
Professional career
After forgoing his senior season, he was selected in the 4th round (109th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. A toe infection that required surgery and some preseason fumbles left him at the bottom of the depth chart. An injury to Julius Jones and the ineffectiveness of Anthony Thomas allowed Barber to emerge, and he responded with 95 yards rushing against Seattle and 127 yards against Arizona. Along with his pass-blocking and special teams abilities, this solidified his position as the backup running back for the Cowboys. Barber has found a niche as a third-down rusher, and has been an excellent red-zone rusher. He led the NFC with 14 rushing touchdowns in 2006. Entering the 2007 NFL regular season, many Dallas fans have called for Cowboys coach Wade Phillips to name Barber the starting tailback. However, Phillips will continue to utilize the "running back by committee", sharing the load with Dallas Cowboys starting running back Julius Jones. This approach was instituted by former coach Bill Parcells. Jim Johnson, current Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator has called Barber the hardest running back in the NFL to bring down. His power running back style has earned him the nickname "Marion the Barbarian" and he has been the league leader in breaking tackles, which seems to reflect his personal mantra of "hit or get hit." Up to December 22, 2007, Barber's current rushing statistics in 2007 season in 15 games are 981 yards on 198 carries, 5.0 yards per carry rushing average, and 10 rushing touchdowns. His receiving statistics are 43 receptions for 275 yards and 2 touchdown receptions. On December 18, 2007 he was named to his first Pro Bowl. [3]
