MEMPHIS – For years, it was known as Running Back ‘U’.

Tony Pollard.

Darrell Henderson.

Patrick Taylor.

Antonio Gibson.

Kenny Gainwell.

All starred at Memphis.  All made it to the NFL.

But over the past couple of years, the Tigers have been missing that big play tailback. No running back had a 100-yard game last season.

Something Ryan Silverfield is hoping to change this year.

But here’s the problem, 12 days before the season opener, Silverfield and the Tigers have yet to settle on a true RB one. As a matter of fact, running backs coach Sean Dawkins says he has five players who are vying for carries.

Depth is good, but it also poses some problems.

“In fact, sometimes it’s kind of hard to get them all reps because, you know, they’re all really good players and deserve to be behind a really good offensive line. So I’ve got about five guys repping with the ones and twos,” Dawkins said.  “You’ve got to have number one, and then you’ve got to have obviously some guys, the back of them up.  Don’t want to beat no one guy up, especially the guys we got in that room. We have to get those guys on the field because anywhere from two to three of them could be part of our best 11. So we definitely got to find ways right there to get those guys on the field.”