Minnesota Twins

Minnesota Gophers love life on the ground

A player capable of rushing for more than 1,000 yards can change the face of an offense.
By the end of this season, Minnesota might have two - for the third year in a row.
Junior running back Laurence Maroney has run for 1,000 yards for the third consecutive season. He leads the Big Ten with 1,345. But the Golden Gophers also have discovered they can spare a few carries for sophomore Gary Russell.
Russell has gained 882 yards and needs 118 more to give Minnesota (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) two 1,000-yard rushers for the third year in a row. He likely will have three more chances - Saturday against Michigan State (5-4, 2-4), next week against Iowa and during the holidays in a bowl.
Running backs seem to sprout from the Metrodome turf in Minneapolis, and developing the tradition is a thing of pride for coach Glen Mason.
"The other night on television they were making such a big deal that USC has a chance to have two 1,000-yard rushers in the same year," Mason said. "It is a big deal. It's a bigger deal if you do that two years in a row. It's a real big deal three years in a row."
Maroney and Marion Barber III each reached 1,000 the past two seasons. Maroney ran for 1,121 yards as a freshman and 1,348 as a sophomore. Barber gained 1,196 yards in 2003 and 1,269 last season.
Maroney is 98 yards away from reaching Chris Darkins' school single-season record of 1,443. But Maroney appears to care more about keeping the twin 1,000-yard streak alive.
"I've been telling them to sit me down and let Gary get his 118," Maroney said. "And like I told Gary, `You're going to get it. You've just got to go out there and run hard. Don't try to change or overwork to get 118. Just do what you've been doing.' "
Whether the running back is Maroney, Russell, Barber, Darkins - or all-time career rushing leader Darrell Thompson - opponents know they have to plug all holes when they face Minnesota.
"What we have to do is get up there and crowd (Maroney) and do what everybody tries to do against them," said Michigan State coach John L. Smith. "Take away the run."