This season is not going according to plan for Kamryn Pettway.

The Auburn running back had aspirations of breaking the program single-season rushing record, which would mean being in the same rarefied air as Bo Jackson and Tre Mason.

Instead, five weeks into the season a one-game suspension, plantar fasciitis and left ankle injury has limited Pettway to just 61 carries for 208 yards and three touchdowns in just three games of action that might as well have been two given his five carries for six yards with a fumble in last week's win over Mississippi State.

"Any time you come off the kind of season he did last year with those yards he put up, he comes into the season banged up here, obviously it's frustrating," said fellow running back Kerryon Johnson, who is playing through a hamstring injury of his own. "He knows that. Like I've always said, Kam is a smart man, he's a grown man and he's not going to let it get to him. He just knows that he's got to do his rehab.

"He's got to keep his mind in it when he gets the opportunity, which he definitely will. He knows what to do with it. We all feel confident that he does, we all know it will happen. We just waiting on it."

Pettway, who led the SEC with 122.4 yards per game last season, still leads No. 12 Auburn (4-1, 2-0 SEC) in carries but his rushing yards are third behind Johnson (300), who also had nine touchdowns, and Kam Martin (210).

The Montgomery native has not been available for interviews since following his 34 carries against Mercer that led to his ankle injury.

"He's a competitor," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "He hasn't been 100 percent any of the games yet. I know that's been frustrating for him. But we've got to get him healthy. If we get him healthy, I think he'll be in a good spot."

Malzahn would not commit to Pettway playing against Ole Miss (2-2, 0-1 SEC) this week (11 a.m. CT, SEC Network). Auburn's top three running backs are all on the mend and Devan Barrett and Malik Miller could both see more reps.

"I think with (Pettway) and KJ, we've got to be very smart with those guys in practice," Malzahn said. "We'll see where we're at as he gets closer to the game. At the same time, Kam Martin was banged up going into the last game, too. We were able to rest him. I think that's good.

"But I really expect all the guys to be ready to play. It's just a matter of how healthy we can get them before the game starts."

James Crepea is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @JamesCrepea.