The running back known as “Marion the Barbarian” because of his hard-charging, take-on-anybody approach on the field remains an elusive interview subject despite his new role as a starter for the Dallas Cowboys.
What the Cowboys don’t expect Barber to change is the bruising running style that made him a Pro Bowl selection even though he didn’t start a regular-season game last year, a short-yardage scoring specialist the past two years and the NFL’s leading rusher in the fourth quarter of games.
“If he didn’t run that way he wouldn’t be the kind of back he is,” Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. “He’s been able to run that way and not be banged up, and I think he will continue that.”
In his only extensive action of the preseason, Barber had 13 carries for 75 yards and a touchdown in the first half last week against the Houston Texans.
But Barber and the rest of the Dallas starters won’t play much, if at all, tonight in the final preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings. It basically will be a glorified tryout game for both teams.
Phillips, without saying which starters would play, acknowledged that he mostly will be looking mostly at players who aren’t sure bets to make the team - “We need to play them enough that we have a feeling for if they can play and if they can contribute or not.” Two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo said he won’t play.
Vikings coach Brad Childress doesn’t plan to play his starters on offense and defense, including QB Tarvaris Jackson and top backup Gus Frerotte.
Barber became the clear-cut No. 1 back when Julius Jones left for Seattle in free agency, the Cowboys making no attempt to keep their former top draft pick. Barber then got a $45 million, seven-year deal that made him one of the league’s top-paid runners.
“It will be interesting to see what he can do for four quarters,” Dallas receiver Terrell Owens said.
The Cowboys got a glimpse in the playoffs last season, when Barber started and rushed 27 times for a career-best 129 yards and a touchdown in the NFC divisional-round loss to the New York Giants.
“I think he showed the world that he’s capable of being an every-down back,” Owens said. “Anything extra you get out of Barber, it may shock the world.”
Barber made only three starts his first two seasons, the first start coming as a rookie in 2005, when he ran 27 times for 127 yards filling in for an injured Jones.
During the past two regular seasons, Barber scored 28 touchdowns (24 rushing, four receiving). He ran for 975 yards and 10 TDs last season, along with 44 catches for 282 yards and two scores, and was voted to the Pro Bowl before his playoff start.
Barber rushed for an NFL-high 402 yards in the fourth quarter last season and gained 603 yards after halftime. In the past two seasons, his 13 rushing TDs from inside the 10-yard line led the NFC.
“You know what you’re getting out of him every play,” tight end Jason Witten said.
But now Barber will be the first option for the Cowboys and not the bullish runner always coming in fresh later in games.
“He’s looking forward to this challenge,” Witten said. “The spark he gives, I didn’t think he’d be able to give us that as a starter just because (when) you play that role, you come in that second series . . . it’s something special. But he does it as a starter. I think he’s going to be a big part of what we’re doing.”
NOTES: With Romo out, Richard Bartel, a practice squad member last season when the Cowboys kept only two quarterbacks, is expected to start and play extensively. Brad Johnson is Romo’s primary backup. . . . Rookie John David Booty, the fifth-round pick from Southern California trying to become the Vikings’ No. 3 quarterback, will get another shot tonight. He had a rating of 32.5 three preseason games.
