CAREER NOTES: The seventh pick of the sixth round by the Houston Texans and the 173rd overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft • appeared in 46 games as a Golden Gopher with 24 starts • totaled 191 tackles, including 130 solo stops during his career • collected 174 of his 191 career stops during the 2006 and 2007 seasons for an average of 87 total tackles per season as a junior and senior • finished with four career interceptions and 13 pass break-ups • also had four fumble recoveries (returning one for a touchdown) and three force fumbles • lettered all four seasons at Minnesota.

2007 • SENIOR SEASON: A unanimous second team All-Big Ten pick by the league’s coaches and the media in 2007 • selected to play in the 2008 Hula Bowl all-star game • started all 12 games • led the Gophers and ranked ninth in the Big Ten with 100 total tackles during the regular season • also paced the team in solo stops with 71 • was fifth on the squad in tackles for losses with 5.5 • had eight pass break-ups, three fumble recoveries and one force fumble • led or tied for the team lead in tackles in four of 12 games and finished with double-figure stops four times • returned a fumble 46 yards for touchdown at Michigan • Game-by-Game: Collected six tackles (four solo) and had a pass break-up in the season opener vs. Bowling Green (9/1) • credited with eight unassisted tackles and a break-up against Miami (Ohio) (9/8) • totaled a career-high 13 stops, including a career-best nine solo tackles, and had a pass break-up at Florida Atlantic (9/15) • had nine solo and three unassisted tackles for 12 total stops against Purdue (9/22) • also had a forced fumble and a pass break-up vs. the Boilermakers • collected seven tackles, including two behind the line of scrimmage, against Ohio State (9/29) • recorded five unassisted tackles with a three-yard sack at Indiana (10/6) • credited with 11 tackles, seven solo, a seven-yard fumble recovery and a season-high two pass break-ups at Northwestern (10/13) • registered nine solos and two assisted tackles for 11 total stops to go along with a fumble recovery vs. North Dakota State (10/20) • totaled six tackles and returned a fumble 46 yards for a touchdown at Michigan (10/27) • made six tackles, including 2.5 behind the line of scrimmage, vs. Illinois (11/3) • finished with six stops and a pass break-up at Iowa (11/10) • closed out the season with nine total tackles (seven solo) and a break-up against Wisconsin (11/17) • earned fourth letter.

2006 • JUNIOR SEASON: Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection by the media • established career-highs in every statistical category • ranked tied for fifth in the conference with 0.31 interceptions per game • Game-by-Game: made his first career start in the season opener at Kent State (8/31) • made six tackles (four solo) against the Golden Flashes • recorded four tackles (three solo) at California (9/9) • intercepted the first pass of his career against Temple (9/16) • recorded seven tackles at Purdue (9/23) • held the explosive Dorien Bryant to just 59 yards receiving on six catches • broke up two passes against the Boilermakers • made seven tackles (five solo) against Michigan (9/30) • established a new career high with eight tackles (two solo) vs. Penn State (10/7) • recorded the first two tackles for loss of his career against the Nittany Lions • made seven tackles (two solo) and broke up one pass at Wisconsin (10/14) • had six tackles (four solo) against NDSU (10/21) • recorded career firsts with a fumble recovery and a blocked PAT at top-ranked Ohio State (10/28) • made three total tackles (two solo) against the Buckeyes • returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown, broke up another pass and forced the first fumble of his career against Indiana (11/4) • picked off a career-high two passes at Michigan State (11/11) • his interception of MSU quarterback Brian Hoyer’s pass in the end zone on the first play of the second quarter turned the momentum of the game • also had six tackles (four solo) against the Spartans • made eight stops (six solo) and forced a fumble for the second time in three weeks against Iowa (11/18) • had six tackles (five solo) in the Insight Bowl against Texas Tech (12/29) • participated in 1,009 plays • earned third letter.

2005 • SOPHOMORE SEASON: Appeared in all 12 games, finishing the season with 13 tackles (10 solo) and a blocked punt • Game-by-Game: blocked first punt of his career against Colorado State (9/10), which resulted in a touchdown by Alex Daniels • recorded two solo tackles against Florida Atlantic (9/17) • recorded four tackles (two solo) against Penn State (10/1) • played a career-high 77 plays against the Nittany Lions after replacing an injured Brandon Owens early in the second quarter • recorded a solo tackle vs. Ohio State (10/29) • made two tackles (one solo) against Michigan State (11/12) • recorded one solo tackle against Iowa (11/19) • recorded three tackles, all solo, against Virginia in the Music City Bowl (12/30) • participated in 300 plays • earned second letter.

2004 • FRESHMAN SEASON: Played in nine games, recording four tackles (two solo) and one pass breakup • joined Robert McGarry and Gary Russell as the only Gophers to letter as true freshmen • also kept a family tradition by lettering as a true freshman, which his father, Marion Jr. (1977-80) and brother, Marion III (2001-04), also accomplished • Game-by-Game: earned first career tackle against Illinois (10/23) • tallied first career pass breakup at Indiana (10/30) • had a career-high two tackles against Iowa (11/13) • recorded one tackle vs. Alabama in the Music City Bowl (12/31) • participated in 104 plays • earned first letter.

HIGH SCHOOL: A 2004 graduate of Wayzata High School (Minn.) • high school coach was Brad Anderson • ranked as the 42nd-best player at his position in 2003 by Rivals • selected for the SuperPrep Midwest Team, ranked as the 58th-best player • selected as a PrepStar All-Midwest Region choice • named all-state and all-county his senior season at defensive back and was an all-conference and all-area selection his senior season at running back • tallied one interception, which he returned for a touchdown in 2003 • rushed for 911 yards on 138 carries with nine scores last season, while also recording 25 catches for 288 yards with three touchdowns • also lettered twice in hockey and once in baseball.

PERSONAL: Communication studies major • son of Marion and Karen Barber • born August 2, 1986 • father, Marion Jr., is a former NFL and All-Big Ten running back for the Gophers • brother, Marion III, played running back for the Gophers from 2001-04 and currently plays for the Dallas Cowboys after being selected in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

BARBER’S CAREER STATISTICS
Year     G/GS   Solo   Asst   Total      TFL   INT   PBU   FR   FF   SACKS
2004      9/0      2      2       4      0-0     0     1    0    0     0-0
2005     12/0     10      3      13      0-0     0     0    0    0     0-0
2006    13/12     47     27      74      1-2     4     4    1    2     0-0
2007    12/12     71     29     100   5.5-19     0     8    3    1     1-3
Totals  46/24    130     61     191   6.5-21     4    13    4    3     1-3

BARBER’S GAME DEFENSIVE BESTS
Total Tackles     13  at Florida Atlantic (9-15-2007)
Solo Tackles      9   Three times: last vs. North Dakota State (10-20-2007)
Tackles for Loss  2.5 vs. Illinois (11-3-2007)
Pass Breakups     2   Two times: last at Northwestern (10-13-2007)
Interceptions     2   at Michigan State (11-11-2006)
Forced Fumbles    1   Three times: last vs. Purdue (9-22-2007)
Fumble Recoveries 1   Four times: last at Michigan (10-27-2007)
Blocked PAT       1   at Ohio State (10-28-2006)
Blocked Punt      1   vs. Colorado State (9-10-2005)