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Roster outlook: Running back

AUBURN | The next in a series of position-by-position looks at Auburn’s roster in 2019 is running back. It’s a big question mark for the Tigers with just one retuning player that’s shown the ability to be an every-down, reliable SEC tailback.

For all intents and purposes, Auburn’s running back position begins and ends with sophomore JaTarvious Whitlow right now. That’s not a knock on the other three returning scholarship players, but Kam Martin and Malik Miller are more role players at this point in their careers, and Shaun Shivers is probably not built to be a 20-carry per game tailback. Asking them to do more is asking for trouble.

Whitlow introduced himself to the college football world with his TD run against Washington.
Whitlow introduced himself to the college football world with his TD run against Washington. (Brett Davis/USA Today images)

After a redshirt in 2017, Whitlow burst on the scene this fall to lead the Tigers with 777 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 143 carries. More than half of his yards (422) came after contact. He was also fifth on the team with 14 receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown.

Whitlow went through some expected growing pains last season as he dealt with the transition from high school quarterback to every-down SEC running back. But he looks primed to be Auburn’s No. 1 tailback going into next season. The key will be finding him some help.

Shivers can certainly play a role for Auburn at running back and special teams. His 75-yard touchdown run as a true freshman at Alabama that was called back on a holding call is a good sign of his big-play potential against a very talented defense.

His size, listed as 5-foot-7 and 173 pounds on Auburn’s roster, is a limiting factor, but 180 of his 338 rushing yards this season came after contact, which is an indication of his power and balance.

Martin, a senior, is also a bit undersized. He was second on the team with 400 yards rushing on 92 carries but only scored one touchdown. He had 193 yards after contact. Miller, a junior, has become a very important third-down back with his pass blocking and receiving out of the backfield. He had 13 catches for 144 yards and one touchdown this fall.

Redshirt freshman Harold Joiner is another possibility but he played in just two games this fall and was signed as a future H-back/tight end.

The group took a big hit with Asa Marin’s announcement that he’ll transfer. Martin didn’t accomplish a lot on the field as a true freshman but at least had the potential to develop into another every-down-type back next to Whitlow.

Clearly, Auburn has some immediate holes to fill at running back, which will have to be addressed in the 2019 class and/or the transfer market. AU desperately needs to bring in at least one running back that is ready to challenge Whitlow for the starting position and provide reliable depth, and another that can be a dependable part of the playing rotation.

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