Running backs

• RB Ben Tate, Sr., 5-11, 217
• RB Eric Smith, So., 5-10, 234
• RB Onterio McCalebb, Fr., 5-10, 165

H-backs

• HB Mario Fannin, Jr., 5-11, 226
• FB John Douglas, So. 6-2, 235
• TE Bailey Woods, So., 6-5, 230

Walk-ons

• RB Justin Albert, rFr., 5-8, 169
• RB Michael Alexander, So., 5-10, 201
• RB Michael Gibson, Jr., 5-11, 227
• RB Davis Hooper, So., 6-0, 201
• FB Jason King, Jr., 6-0, 223

Once the bedrock of a Auburn's football program, the Tigers' running game hit a snag last season. Tony Franklin's offensive system didn't lend itself to the power running game Auburn fans had grown accustomed to. The end results were disastrous. Tate led the team with 664 rushing yards, the lowest output from the team's leading rusher since 2001. Brad Lester all but disappeared by the end of his senior season as Fannin, a wide receiver when the year started, emerged as the go-to back down the stretch. Now, everybody is going to get involved. Gene Chizik and new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn have made it clear that Auburn is going to return to its smashmouth roots. That means running the ball more than throwing it, despite the perception that Malzahn's offensive is of the throw-it-first variety.

Fannin was the team's offensive MVP last year. So what does Auburn do? It moves him to a different position. Odd move, for sure, but Malzahn has been successful in utilizing a versatile H-back in the past, which seems to suit a bulked-up Fannin just fine. That means a refreshed Tate will likely be the feature back, and early indications are that the senior is taking that responsibility seriously. Running backs coach Curtis Luper was very impressed with Tate throughout the spring, saying he had 1,000-yard potential, something Auburn hasn't seen out of a rusher since Kenny Irons ran for 1,293 yards in 2005. Smith and McCalebb seem like great complementary parts, Smith providing the power, McCalebb the speed. And don't count out Fannin from getting some carries as well. There certainly is not shortage of bodies in the backfield.

The are nit-picky, but ... Smith had to deal with a knee injury near the end of spring drills, which kept him out of action A-Day. It doesn't sound serious, but you never know. It sounds like fumbles were a problem for part of the spring. During one scrimmage, Tate and McCalebb both lost the ball, which accounted for a narrow defensive victory that day. Also, Fannin's move is a bit puzzling. Anyone who watched last year's Georgia game realizes the kind of big-play potential that he has as a running back (then again, one of his touchdowns came on a pass after he went in motion out of the backfield). It would be a shame to see him not get as many carries because he's lined up in different spots of the field where he can't be handed the ball as easily.

There is no shortage of help on the way. McCalebb is technically a freshman after transferring from Hargrave, but he's already in school, so I won't count him here. Beyond that the Tigers signed Dontae Aycock, a four-star converted quarterback who signed late in the process, Brandon Jacobs, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound back who brings a bruising reputation like former Auburn back now with the New York Giants, and Demond Washington, a do-it-all junior college transfer who will start out on the offensive side of the ball. That's a lot of talent coming in to a situation that doesn't sound too conducive for a youngster to step in and play. Auburn has all of its running backs roles filled with experienced players (Every down: Tate; Versatility: Fannin; Power: Smith; Speed: McCalebb). It seems like it would be very tough for one of these players to get on the field immediately. If I had to guess, I'd say Washington has the best chance, simply because he's gone through the rigors of two junior college seasons and his eligibility clock is ticking.

Speed is usually the trump card in football, and McCalebb brings a ton of it. He's fast — legitimately fast. Everyone on the team agrees. Malzahn's system seems like it can free up running backs in open space quite a bit, where McCalebb can be most dangerous. Get him in the open field and you're going to have a tough time bringing him down. In my time covering college football, the fastest back I've seen was Michael Bennett when I was in college at Wisconsin (these two games stand out in my mind). A legitimate track star, Bennett was good for a 50- or 60-yard touchdown run in every game, simply because the Badgers' line got him a hole and nobody could touch him. Bennett's problem was that he was a featured back and he physically broke down by the end of the year from repeated poundings. Tate is Auburn's featured back, meaning Malzahn can be smart about getting McCalebb into the game on a limited basis and keep him fresh. That's a big benefit. And if anybody questions McCalebb's determination in succeeding immediately, his back story should provide all the information you need to know about his focus and where it lies.

I don't know how many battles there will be in this group just because the roles seem pretty well-defined. I guess I would say the biggest battle would be between Smith and McCalebb for who get the bulk of carries behind Tate, who has solidified his spot as the featured back. Fannin complicates the battle for carries, since he'll probably shift to running back for at least part of the time in addition to his many other duties. How the carries will be divvied is the biggest question mark next season.

"Some people always tell me when I run, I never look fast. I’m like, ‘Really? Well race me.’ Most of the guys on our team think I’m fast, but everybody else, they be like, 'I don’t know.' It doesn’t really matter because all I tell them is, ‘Let’s race.’ I tell everybody: ‘Let’s race.’"

— Tate, on the perception that he is slow

1,650 — rushing yards by the Tigers last season, their lowest season total since 1999, when they ran for a 748 yards. From 2000-07, Auburn averaged 2,183 rushing yards per season.

Auburn has a strong backfield, but whether than translates to success in the running game depends on so many other variables (a strong offensive line, an effective passing game to to keep a defense honest) that it's hard to tell how the Tigers will do this year. If the running game sputters, though, it won't be because the backs aren't pulling their weight. Tate seems refreshed after a sub-par 2008. Fannin is a weapon that can be used in many spots. And there are plenty of capable young players who can step in for a series or two and not be a detriment on the field. Give this group enough carries and some holes to run through and it should thrive.