Can Marion Barber hold up as a starter?
By RANDY GALLOWAY
rgalloway@star-telegram.com
The local worry:
Can Marion the Barbarian, a full-contact running back, hold up physically as a starter?
History lesson:
Flashback to 1991, the jumping-off point for what would become the local Dynasty Days. Same concern at the time with a young Emmitt Smith. It appeared Jimmy Johnson was riding the hooves off that horse.
When in doubt:
Call the Florida Keys. Hello, Jimster.
"Gawd, I love Barber. He entertains me, and he’s my kind of player," Jimmy Johnson said Thursday. "But ..."
Say that again, Jimmy:
"With his running style, you’re going to have to be careful, real careful on how you use him. There’s a legitimate concern involved here."
Hand me a Q-tip. My ears must be clogged.
One obvious thing in the NFL, or even at the lower levels of football, is that coaches do not fret over the future production of a running back. It’s about right now. If he’s hot, hammer him. The shelf life of a running back is the shortest of all positions. Get it while you can.
It’s still brings a personal laugh when harking back to the media, me included, harshly questioning Jimmy’s workload for a young Emmitt, particularly in that ’91 season. It was Smith’s second year, when he averaged 23 carries a game and won the league’s rushing title.
The opener that season was at, yes, Cleveland. Emmitt carried 32 times, one of five games he would top 30 that year.
Do you worry, Jimmy was finally asked in December, about shortening Smith’s career?
"I worry," deadpanned Johnson, "about shortening my career."
But, coach, aren’t you going to ride this horse into the ground?
"If it happens, then you saddle up a new horse," Jimmy shrugged.
Cold, but true.
And if you fast forward to the current Valley Ranch situation, it’s hard to imagine Wade Phillips or Jason Garrett thinking any other way about Barber.
"Coaches aren’t looking two years down the road. Coaches aren’t even looking two weeks down the road," Johnson added with a laugh Thursday. "You can maybe strategize for a season, but looking past a season is crazy."
Then again, with Johnson starting another year working on the Fox-TV pre- and postgame crew, he was also offering a more benevolent approach when it comes to Barber, who has a linebacker’s mentality as a running back.
"First, it’s totally different from Emmitt," he said. "Emmitt was short and stocky, and had that certain something about knowing how to avoid big hits. I always said you had to watch Emmitt in slow motion to really appreciate his running style."
For all our (media and fans) worry in the early days of Smith’s career, Emmitt became maybe the most durable runner in history.
"But this Barber," added Jimmy, "now he’s a completely different story. He takes on guys. He takes hits. At times, it’s almost like he’s out there looking for a direct hit. That toughness is what makes him so appealing."
It’s not about "coaching that mentality out of him," but instead, looking for spots to rest him, said Johnson.
"You run him hard, but when you get a [scoreboard] cushion, you get him out of there. I’m sure that’s the thinking of the coaching staff, and I agree. The Cowboys are good enough that there will be cushions this season. Plus, they are deep enough, and have some other options, like Felix [Jones] as a change-up back, that Barber doesn’t have to be a consistent three-down guy.
"I don’t think his running style will necessarily mean career longevity, but even for this season, you’ve got to be more careful on how you use him. Barber is kind of a special guy in my opinion, and that toughness is part of what makes him special."
Mark down that comment as a first for Johnson, and a high compliment for Barber. The Jimster is preaching some R&R for a stud running back.
"Oh, don’t get me wrong, you still have to ride that horse hard," countered Jimmy, "but with Marion, just make sure you have some other steeds in the stable."
OK, but do note that not even Emmitt, the Jimster’s Hall of Fame horse, ever received that kind of compassion.
rgalloway@star-telegram.com
The local worry:
Can Marion the Barbarian, a full-contact running back, hold up physically as a starter?
History lesson:
Flashback to 1991, the jumping-off point for what would become the local Dynasty Days. Same concern at the time with a young Emmitt Smith. It appeared Jimmy Johnson was riding the hooves off that horse.
When in doubt:
Call the Florida Keys. Hello, Jimster.
"Gawd, I love Barber. He entertains me, and he’s my kind of player," Jimmy Johnson said Thursday. "But ..."
Say that again, Jimmy:
"With his running style, you’re going to have to be careful, real careful on how you use him. There’s a legitimate concern involved here."
Hand me a Q-tip. My ears must be clogged.
One obvious thing in the NFL, or even at the lower levels of football, is that coaches do not fret over the future production of a running back. It’s about right now. If he’s hot, hammer him. The shelf life of a running back is the shortest of all positions. Get it while you can.
It’s still brings a personal laugh when harking back to the media, me included, harshly questioning Jimmy’s workload for a young Emmitt, particularly in that ’91 season. It was Smith’s second year, when he averaged 23 carries a game and won the league’s rushing title.
The opener that season was at, yes, Cleveland. Emmitt carried 32 times, one of five games he would top 30 that year.
Do you worry, Jimmy was finally asked in December, about shortening Smith’s career?
"I worry," deadpanned Johnson, "about shortening my career."
But, coach, aren’t you going to ride this horse into the ground?
"If it happens, then you saddle up a new horse," Jimmy shrugged.
Cold, but true.
And if you fast forward to the current Valley Ranch situation, it’s hard to imagine Wade Phillips or Jason Garrett thinking any other way about Barber.
"Coaches aren’t looking two years down the road. Coaches aren’t even looking two weeks down the road," Johnson added with a laugh Thursday. "You can maybe strategize for a season, but looking past a season is crazy."
Then again, with Johnson starting another year working on the Fox-TV pre- and postgame crew, he was also offering a more benevolent approach when it comes to Barber, who has a linebacker’s mentality as a running back.
"First, it’s totally different from Emmitt," he said. "Emmitt was short and stocky, and had that certain something about knowing how to avoid big hits. I always said you had to watch Emmitt in slow motion to really appreciate his running style."
For all our (media and fans) worry in the early days of Smith’s career, Emmitt became maybe the most durable runner in history.
"But this Barber," added Jimmy, "now he’s a completely different story. He takes on guys. He takes hits. At times, it’s almost like he’s out there looking for a direct hit. That toughness is what makes him so appealing."
It’s not about "coaching that mentality out of him," but instead, looking for spots to rest him, said Johnson.
"You run him hard, but when you get a [scoreboard] cushion, you get him out of there. I’m sure that’s the thinking of the coaching staff, and I agree. The Cowboys are good enough that there will be cushions this season. Plus, they are deep enough, and have some other options, like Felix [Jones] as a change-up back, that Barber doesn’t have to be a consistent three-down guy.
"I don’t think his running style will necessarily mean career longevity, but even for this season, you’ve got to be more careful on how you use him. Barber is kind of a special guy in my opinion, and that toughness is part of what makes him special."
Mark down that comment as a first for Johnson, and a high compliment for Barber. The Jimster is preaching some R&R for a stud running back.
"Oh, don’t get me wrong, you still have to ride that horse hard," countered Jimmy, "but with Marion, just make sure you have some other steeds in the stable."
OK, but do note that not even Emmitt, the Jimster’s Hall of Fame horse, ever received that kind of compassion.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:13 AM
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