When Wayne Gallman decided last January he was coming back for his redshirt junior season at Clemson, it meant the running back position was finally on solid ground, again.

Gallman took charge of the position in 2015, and literally carried it to new heights. The Loganville, Georgia native rushed for a Clemson record 1,527 yards last year, while scoring 13 touchdowns.

Since taking over the job midway through the 2014 season, Gallman has rushed for 2,098 yards in 21 games. In 12 of those games, he has eclipsed the century mark, including a record nine 100-yard games during the Tigers’ run to the national championship game last season.

Though Gallman gives the Tigers stability at the position, Clemson co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach Tony Elliott says the competition between Adam Choice and Tyshon Dye for the No. 2 spot gives it continuity.

It appeared in camp that Choice was going to run away with the job when he rushed for 169 yards and scored three touchdowns in the team’s second scrimmage of training camp. At the time, Elliott even said the 5-foot-9, 215-pound back had started to separate himself from Dye and C.J. Fuller.

But things have since changed. Dye, who Elliott said had his best camp since arriving on campus in 2013, has rallied and has forced Elliott to take his decision right up until kickoff next Saturday at Auburn.

“We are going to take that all the way into game week. Adam has come on here late and Tyshon has looked as good as he has ever looked, and Fuller, he is making strides,” the Clemson coach said. “It is going to be a tough decision, but I like that.

“Now you have some continuity behind Wayne and it is going to keep those guys on edge and make them practice hard all the way up until the game.”

Elliott says the competition assures him that Choice, Dye and Fuller will be ready to play when called upon.

“At that position, you are one injury away from being with your third or your fourth guy,” Elliott said. “I really, really like all three of those guys. We are going to go into the game and see who comes out with the most consistency in practice that week and determine who will be the second one to run out there. But they all have to be ready to play.”