AUBURN | Auburn rushed for just 2,177 yards last year, which ranked 10th in the SEC and was by far the worst of the Gus Malzahn era. The Tigers also went without a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 2008.

“We weren’t satisfied with what happened last year. We let the tradition down,” senior running back Kam Martin said.

Martin even heard talk about AU’s running backs being the weak link.

“It makes you mad so we just have to change that and show everybody what we can do and get back to how we used to be,” Martin said.

But there’s a lot of confidence and plenty of reasons that those numbers will be better in 2019 starting with the return of JaTarvious Whitlow, Martin and Shaun Shivers — AU’s top three running backs from last season.

And it certainly doesn’t hurt running behind an offensive line that returns all five starters, who are all seniors.

“It’s really special, man. You got Prince Tega and all those guys, man. They’ve had a great spring,” Martin said. “I’m glad all those guys came back. They’re going to be real special. For a running back to have those guys back, they’re going to be real special.”

There’s another facet to the running back position that should be an asset — their versatility. Whitlow and true freshman D.J. Williams are every-down type backs while Martin has a lot of quickness outside or between the tackles. Shivers is one of the fastest players in the SEC and incoming freshman Mark Antony-Richards is also known as a speed back.

Then you’ve got bruiser Malik Miller, who is the group’s best pass protector and a threat as a receiver, and Harold Joiner, who worked at both running back and receiver this spring.

“You have to have multiple ‘backs in this conference,” said first-year offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, who had two of his Memphis running backs drafted. “If you look at us last year. We had three ‘backs at the last school I was at, at Memphis, that accounted for over 1,000 yards apiece. One of them accounted for 2,000 yards.

“So, I think when you’re a team that wants to be able to run the ball, throw vertical play-action, you’re going to have to have multiple ‘backs and you’re going to have to have multiple ‘backs who can do various things. Because when you have different players who can line up on the same spot on the field, defenses have to play those players differently. The more people you can put in different spots, the more things defenses have to prepare for. That’s always something we’re going to try to do: give playmakers the ball in as many places and in as many spots as possible.”

The addition of Dillingham and new running backs coach Carnell Williams brought a lot of new energy to the group this spring.

“Like Coach Malzahn says, just playing with confidence, playing with that swagger,” Martin said. “Every time you go out there on that field, you want to get better. That’s what we did this spring. We came close together as an offense.

“Everybody’s real confident in their play, and when Coach Dillingham came, each day he preached on being great in the details, and that’s what we did this spring.”