STrib: Gophers' Rodney Smith takes a starring turn in rushing timeshare with Brooks

per Joe:

Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks have taken turns in the Gophers’ spotlight over the past two seasons, with Smith racking up bigger statistics one week and Brooks the next.

Brooks delivered more eye-popping performances last season, but Smith has played the lead role this year, including Saturday, when he electrified TCF Bank Stadium with a 94-yard kickoff return touchdown against Rutgers.

Here’s what matters most to their teammates: Neither Smith nor Brooks seems to mind when the other emerges as that day’s star.

“I think [their close friendship] definitely helps,” quarterback Mitch Leidner said Tuesday. “Because when you get tension in that kind of situation, and then you start thinking, ‘Maybe one guy is going to leave because the other guy is playing more than him’ — it’s nothing like that at all.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...hing-timeshare-with-shannon-brooks/398609531/

Go Gophers!!

Such nice young men.

If brooks can pop 1-2 big games we will have two 1000 yard rushers this year which would be awesome. Smith has got to be getting close now, seems to be averaging close to 100/game. Keep handing them the ball and keep switching them in and out so they stay fresh.

I know a lot of posters around here think Brooks is the better back because he has more of a "home run" threat but Smith seems to be a very well rounded back. He picks up the blitz like a stud, gains a lot of his yards on his own after getting hit, and can catch the ball as good as any back. And now he takes kick off returns to the house too. Smith can do anything.

bottlebass said:

If brooks can pop 1-2 big games we will have two 1000 yard rushers this year which would be awesome. Smith has got to be getting close now, seems to be averaging close to 100/game. Keep handing them the ball and keep switching them in and out so they stay fresh.

I know a lot of posters around here think Brooks is the better back because he has more of a "home run" threat but Smith seems to be a very well rounded back. He picks up the blitz like a stud, gains a lot of his yards on his own after getting hit, and can catch the ball as good as any back. And now he takes kick off returns to the house too. Smith can do anything.

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Smith has 701 rushing yards and Brooks has 413 rushing yards. He'd have to average almost 98 ypg the rest of the way (assuming a bowl), which is doable but doubtful.

Would've been fun to see what those two could've done against Iowa.

dpodoll68 said:

Smith has 701 rushing yards and Brooks has 413 rushing yards. He'd have to average almost 98 ypg the rest of the way (assuming a bowl), which is doable but doubtful.

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Notice how I said if he could pop 1-2 big games he could get to 1000? We still play purdue... maybe he'll have 3 long TD runs and then he'll have to average a lot less to get to 1000.