MSU head coach John L. Smith said there isn't much that Minnesota running backs sophomore Laurence Maroney and junior Marion Barber III lack.
"They have balance, vision, strength, speed," Smith said. "They've got some people who can open up some holes for them up front, too."
The combination of Maroney and Barber, along with an experienced offensive line - which uses the cut-blocking technique - gives Minnesota (5-1 Overall, 2-1 Big Ten) the third best rushing attack in the country.
The Golden Gophers average 301.0 yards per game, with Maroney leading the Big Ten with 135.8 yard average and Barber with a 107.0 yard average.
It doesn't matter who starts or who runs the ball on any given play, Minnesota head coach Glen Mason said.
"Truly within our program, if you asked anybody on the team - any coach, any secretary, any trainer, any manager - 'Who is your starting running back?,' they would say Maroney and Barber, and the next guy would say Barber and Maroney," Mason said. "We really don't care who's in there. There is no set system on what we're doing. They both know they're going to play, carry the ball a lot and they're going to be featured - both of them."
While some coaches might have trouble keeping the two running backs happy, Mason hasn't had too many issues. In fact, he said he's only had one all season long.
"The biggest problem I've had with Barber and Maroney was when I was going home two weeks ago. I was stopped at a light and through the intersection went Maroney driving a mo-ped with Barber on the back of it. That scared me. That was a problem for coach Mason, and I would have felt the same way if Barber was driving and Maroney was on the back."
The MSU (3-3, 2-1) defense also knows both players pose a serious threat to opposing defenses. MSU sophomore defensive end Clifton Ryan called them "prime-time" running backs, but he also said they to need to focus on other things.
"The main thing we have to do is worry about us first and foremost," Ryan said. "We can't get caught up with what they're doing and lose track of what we're doing. If we pay attention to what we're doing, we can stop what they're doing."
If the Spartans lose track of what they're doing, it could result in missed tackles, like it did against Illinois. Numerous MSU players said that can't happen against Minnesota, otherwise things could get ugly.
"We missed quite a few tackles (last week) - we can't miss any this week. We can't go for the kill shot; we just have to get them down," junior safety Eric Smith said. "If we keep making these mistakes against Minnesota, then the game won't even be close - we'll get blown out."
For MSU to avoid an embarrassing Homecoming loss, Smith said the Spartans will put eight or nine men in the box on most occasions. He said it's something teams have to do against the Gophers to try and stop their potent running attack.
With Maroney and Barber combining to average 242.8 yards per game, what would be an acceptable amount of rushing yards to give up and get the win in the process?
"Between 150 and 175 yards, and I think we'll win," Ryan said.
Maroney's answer to what might happen on Saturday was simple.
"Anything can happen," Maroney said. "They could go out there and shut us down.
"We just know we're going to run the ball and whatever happens after that happens."
