On a golf course in 1980, a single gopher caused headaches for assistant greenskeeper Carl Spackler in the movie "Caddyshack." On the gridiron this season, a group of gophers are making their opponents' heads spin game after game.
The No. 25 Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-1 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) feature one of the nation's top running attacks and an overall dangerous offense. They rank first in the Big Ten and are second in the nation in rushing, averaging 298 yards per game.
"That's how we make our living," Minnesota head coach Glen Mason said of his team's need to run.
Their ground "living" has earned them a total of 2,086 yards in seven games this season.
The running backs in Mason's offense are sophomore Marion Barber III, freshman Laurence Maroney, senior Thomas Tapeh and junior Terry Jackson II. Senior quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq rounds out the group, which makes up one of the most potent offenses in the country. In 11 straight games, the Gophers have scored at least 20 points.
Of the 117 NCAA Division IA teams, the Gophers have played four teams who rank in the bottom tier of rush defense. Minnesota has faced 95th-ranked Northwestern, 105th-ranked Tulsa, 110th-ranked Penn State and 114th-ranked Louisiana-Lafeyette.
But this weekend, something new enters the Metrodome. For the first time all season, the Gophers will go up against a rush defense ranked in the top 25.
MSU's defense has given up only two rushing touchdowns all season, ranks seventh in the nation in yards allowed (78.1) and isn't intimidated by the Gophers' runners.
Head coach John L. Smith said the Gophers "can run for 1,000 yards," as long as his team gets the win.
"Now we play, without a doubt, the best offense in the Big Ten," Smith said. "So we better be ready; we're going to have to play our best game of the year."
The No. 15 Spartans (6-1, 3-0) know they must keep tabs on the Gophers' backfield at all times, acknowledging it will be an important element to controlling, and eventually winning, the game.
"As far as stopping the run, that's the key," redshirt freshman defensive end Clifton Ryan said.
Ryan, a Saginaw native, has seen his playing time increase with the recent injury to senior defensive end Greg Taplin. He said the Gophers will remain true to their game plan: Handing the ball off to their corps of talented rushers.
"All of them impress me," he said. "They all look good, from top to bottom, from Barber to (Maroney), even the quarterback's a runner, so we got to be prepared," Ryan said.
Barber leads the team with 740 yards and 14 touchdowns - the most touchdowns in the nation. True freshman Maroney has gained 397 yards and scored five touchdowns. Following them, at least in numbers, is Tapeh, the lead blocker, who has racked up 361 yards and three touchdowns. Jackson, also a Saginaw native who ran for 238 yards last season against the Spartans, has 256 yards on the season to go along with one touchdown.
Defensive line coach Steve Stripling acknowledged the Gophers' runners to be talented, but also pointed out that his team must be wary of their quarterback, Abdul-Khaliq, who has rushed for 248 yards and three touchdowns, along with passing for 1,095 yards and nine touchdowns. Stripling acknowledged Abdul-Khaliq's strong arm, but said the ground game is the Gophers' bread and butter.
"The key would be if you got ahead to make them throw the ball - then you'd have them right where you want them," he said.
Stripling, who was the linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Minnesota from 1997-2000, said Barber is the Gophers' most dangerous weapon, and to stop him and Tapeh, the Spartans will need to put as many players on the ball as possible.
"(Tapeh's) a hammer," Stripling said. "He'll bring it -
