Much like the Gamecocks’ quarterback situation last season, the South Carolina running backs were in flux until about midseason when a freshman emerged for good.

While the depth chart is again stocked, Rico Dowdle has established himself as the starter exiting spring practice. What remains to be seen is whether the backfield will be turned upside down again from now until midseason, especially because the Gamecocks have a slew of running backs capable of rising to the starter’s role.

South Carolina averaged just 2.83 yards per carry in 8 SEC games, worst in the league.

Along with Dowdle and A.J. Turner, North Carolina transfer Ty’Son Williams will add another option. Dowdle grabbed the starting job at the end of the season, but Turner was the darling of the preseason and at one point took the starting job from junior David Williams by starting four of the first five games. Williams has since announced plans to transfer.

Similarly to Jake Bentley at quarterback, Dowdle was central to the best offensive performances of the season as they came when he was the primary option at running back. Three of the team’s four best offensive performances and the Tennessee upset came after Bentley and Dowdle took the starting roles.

Dowdle started the final five games of the regular season. Williams will add a change of pace with Dowdle’s between-the-tackles rushing. What’s more, Caleb Kinlaw, a former Wisconsin running back, will be in the mix after coming from Pearl River Community College.

With Dowdle and Turner leading the group of transfers, any combination would help Gamecocks fans recall a previous one-two punch in Marcus Lattimore and Mike Davis.

Put it all together and South Carolina has two players who have rushed for more than 1,200 yards, not to mention experienced transfers from North Carolina and Wisconsin.

Dowdle had 764 rushing yards a year ago in nine games, the most by a Gamecocks freshman since Lattimore had 1,197 in 2010, and Williams shined in the spring game with 83 yards on 11 carries.

Dowdle’s career-high 226-yard performance with two touchdowns on 21 carries in the Western Carolina win was the sixth-highest single-game total in school history, and the most yards rushing since Lattimore went for 246 against Navy in 2011.

Despite being named a Parade All-American, Dowdle was a 3-star prospect who had scholarship offers from Vanderbilt, Charlotte, N.C. State, Boston College and Appalachian State when he committed to South Carolina

Rushing yards per game (SEC rank): 134.3 (13 in SEC)

Rushing TDs: 20 (11)

Yards/carry: 3.68 (14)

Rotation

Because of the contrasting styles and relative youth and inexperience with the program given the sophomores and transfers that largely make up the backfield, look for Dowdle to get the majority of carries at the outset, but a committee approach could easily set in.

Chasing 1,000

Dowdle only appeared in nine games last season, but was on pace for a little more than 1,000 yards for a full season. Though he likely won’t average more than 5 yards per carry as he did a year ago, he could easily get more than 15 carries per game. The other backs don’t appear to have the frame or likelihood to get enough carries to reach 1,000 yards.

Play-calling

The playbook should expand in the second season under Kurt Roper at offensive coordinator as the several freshmen in the mix last year now have an entire season and offseason to digest the scheme.

Because the majority of the line returns, Roper should have confidence in it to rush 40-plus times a game.

In four wins last year in October and November, the Gamecocks rushed at least 44 times in every game. They had 49 attempts against Tennessee and Missouri. While Roper has plenty of critics given his performance at previous coaching stops, when he coached at Florida, the offense improved from 18.8 points per game to 27.9 points per game.

Greatest concern

The Gamecocks haven’t been in the top 5 in the SEC in rushing yards since 2013, also the last time they had a 1,000 rusher (Mike Davis). So beyond injury, it’s a lack of production and execution, similar to the beginning of last season that is the greatest concern.

The Gamecocks also have a new offensive line coach, but just lost one starter (Mason Zandi) from a unit now coached by Eric Wolford, who coached the offensive line in 2009. Wolford previously was a head coach at Youngstown State and, for the past two seasons, an offensive assistant for the San Francisco 49ers.

Zack Bailey, who has largely played in the middle, played the spring game at right tackle, and Malik Young was at left tackle. Others in the mix are Alan Knott at center, Sadarius Hutcherson at tackle, and D.J. Park and Cory Helms at guard.

One stat that must improve

The offense in general struggled early, but even after the midseason revival, South Carolina still didn’t get enough yards per carry.

The Gamecocks finished at 3.68 yards per carry overall, worst in the SEC.

Take away the 422-yard performance against Western Carolina, and the average drops to 3.16. They were held to 43 yards on 30 carries against Florida, averaged just 2.83 yards per carry in SEC play and just 2.68 in the bowl loss against South Florida.

Those types of numbers put you behind the chains immediately and no doubt helped explain why the Gamecocks finished last in the SEC in third-down conversion rate at 34.24 percent.

Seven SEC teams averaged more than 5 yards per carry. Ten averaged 4.3 or more. The Gamecocks have to creep closer to middle of the pack in 2017, which will lead to easier third-down conversions, extend drives and likely produce points.

One element that hurt the average was the absence of big plays. The Gamecocks ranked 13th in the SEC in runs longer than 10 yards, registering only 54. Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee and Missouri each had more than 83 such runs.

Better or worse in 2017?

All indications are the unit should be more experienced and have more overall talent given the transfers from North Carolina and Wisconsin.

Bentley’s passing prowess certainly will keep linebackers honest and safeties from creeping into the box and playing the run first.

Williams offered a glimpse in the spring game while playing with the first team offense, and had 83 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown in the second half.

Dowdle missed four games last season because of a groin injury that lingered from the summer, so improved health should transfer to improved production.

The Gamecocks still might lack the home run threat — Dowdle’s longest run last season was 44 yards against Western Carolina — but the combination of everybody being better and playing behind a veteran line should produce a more potent rushing attack in 2017.