He didn't like to do interviews by himself. He preferred to have a teammate standing with him.
Marion Barber III was shy in public and not comfortable talking to reporters, but those weren't the biggest reasons he wanted company in interviews. He simply didn't enjoy talking about himself or being the focal point of any story about his football talent. With Barber, team always deserved more attention and credit than individual, a reflection that earned him a legion of admirers inside his locker room.
"People were in awe of him," former Gophers quarterback Bryan Cupito said, "because he was great but extremely humble.