The season is almost halfway over and No. 5 LSU is still using a committee approach at running back and wide receiver.

Preseason camp was expected to produce a primary ball carrier and see a few receivers separate themselves into the primary group.

No one has emerged as a bell cow at running back and more than half a dozen receivers could be a go-to guy in any given game or situation.

And all of that is just fine because the fifth-ranked Tigers are running the ball well enough and passing it well enough to be 5-0 and 2-0 in the SEC as they head to The Swamp to play No. 22 Florida on Saturday afternoon. Sure the running game could be better and the receivers could be more consistent and both groups will have to improve when LSU faces Georgia and Alabama down the road.

But it’s clear that the Tigers’ success isn’t dependent on an individual rushing for 1,000 yards, though Nick Brossette is on pace to do that, nor does it require two or three individuals to put up gaudy receiving stats.

Brossette began the season as though he was going to separate himself from the other running backs, rushing for 125 yards in the opener against then-No. 8 Miami and getting 137 a week later against Southeastern Louisiana. But he hasn’t had a 100-yard game since.

Meanwhile, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who had a total of just 72 yards through three games, had 136 against Louisiana Tech two weeks ago and 67 last week against Ole Miss.

After 5 games with Derrius Guice last year, the Tigers were averaging 192 yards rushing. After 5 games without him this year, the Tigers are averaging … 192 yards.

“I always thought that we could run the ball,” LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. “I believed in our backs. They’re a little bit better than I thought they would be. Nick is running faster than in the years previous. Clyde is about what I thought he was going to be. I thought Clyde would be a really good player.”

A wild card in the running game is quarterback Joe Burrow, who rushed for a combined 58 yards in the first four games but had 96 yards against Ole Miss last week. Orgeron said he’s reluctant to subject the 6-4, 216-pound Burrow to too many hits, but he likes the way offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger found a way to add Burrow to the mix.

“Obviously we would love to run him a little bit more, but we only have two quarterbacks so we need to be careful,” Orgeron said. “All those things are coming into play. I’m the one that’s a little apprehensive of doing it. I think coach Ensminger wants to do it a lot more and obviously I want to keep him healthy.”

But Orgeron is plenty comfortable having Burrow throw the football and use the Tigers’ bevy of talented receivers. Burrow threw for a season-high 292 yards against Ole Miss.

“I thought our receivers had their best game (against the Rebels),” Orgeron said. “We have been waiting for that breakout game. I believe that the passing game that you saw against Ole Miss is the one I expected all year.

“I believe we have a great set of receivers. So I finally got the receivers in the right spot, we finally are doing the right plays to get the receivers open, so I think that’s the biggest improvement we’re making.”

The ceiling for the leading receiver in each game has been 5 catches. That’s how many Justin Jefferson has had in three games, Stephen Sullivan had that many against Ole Miss, and Dee Anderson had that many against Louisiana Tech.

Five receivers, including tight end Foster Moreau, have caught between 7 passes and Jefferson’s team-leading 18. Jefferson is averaging 16.3 yards and has 2 touchdowns, both against Ole Miss.

Sullivan has averaged 13.0 yards on 11 catches and has one touchdown. Anderson has averaged 14.1 yards on 10 catches. Ja’Marr Chase has averaged 14.0 yards on 7 catches, two of which are touchdowns, and Moreau is averaging 12.7 yards on 7 catches. Terrace Marshall Jr. has averaged 18.0 yards on 4 catches.

Jonathan Giles, a transfer from Texas Tech who was expected to be the No. 1 receiver, has just 4 catches for 20 yards. Racey McMath made his first 2 catches of the season against Ole Miss, totaling 21 yards. Derrick Dillon has just 1 catch, but it was a game-changing 71-yard touchdown in a 22-21 victory at Auburn in Week 3.

Bottom line: The Tigers are getting it done, even if the guys doing it aren’t exactly as recognizable as the players they replaced.