TAMPA -- With question marks at quarterback and an offensive line that still struggles to pass block at times, what will Dan Mullen's offense look like in Year 1 at Florida?

Well, the smart money is on a heavily ground based attack that relies on a stable of talented and proven tailbacks.

Jordan Scarlett returned from a season-long suspension this spring and looked every bit the part of a budding star who nearly broke 1,000 yards rushing in 2016 despite splitting carries heavily for the first five games of the season. He leads a group that has some serious heavy hitters.

Steady junior Lamical Perine is back after piling up 983 yards in the last two years while averaging 4.3 yards per carry. More electric threats Malik Davis (6.7 yards per carry in 2017) and Adarius Lemons (7.2 yards per carry on more limited touches) are also back.

And the Gators have added a pair of talented freshmen in do-it-all back Dameon Pierce and versatile option Iverson Clement.

Mullen plans to lean on the group next fall.

"We're excited about those guys," the first-year coach said. "One of the things we've got to look at is how we utilize those guys. We're going to try to do what we've got to do to get our best players on the field.

"We didn't do a lot of it in the spring just doing install, but we did a little of it. We'll have some packages where we'll have multiple tailbacks on the field just to utilize those guys as best we can."

Mullen has been pleased with the mental growth he's seen across the board since he took over, and the running backs have certainly made good progress there.

Pierce, in particular, seemed to get better as the spring went on as he received more coaching on technique and fundamentals. As the players continue to understand how studying off the field can improve performance on it, the group should only continue to get better.

"That's what I'm most pleased with, and I think that's a change, and I think guys are starting to see physical changes in their body," Mullen said last week in Tampa. "They're hopefully starting to see rewards of their work ethic as it pays off in the classroom. And 'Hey, I'm putting a little extra time in at football and if I go and I spend a little extra time at night while I'm in the dorms or at my apartment just walking through my footwork, the next day I'm going to be a better player.'

"They're starting to see the different successes in their life and it's going to make them even hungrier to work harder."

Florida's running backs will need to be ready to work come fall. The Gators will be breaking in a quarterback in a new offense for the second straight year, and whether it's redshirt sophomore Feleipe Franks or Kyle Trask or true freshman Emory Jones, he'll need help.

The running backs can certainly power the group and be leaders for not just the offense, but the team.

They're closest to understanding and performing at the level Mullen expects based on what they showed this spring in terms of productivity.

"I just think the mindset of the players within the program has changed an awful lot," Mullen said. "It would seem that way to me. There's been very little resistance. They're starting to understand, 100 percent they're starting to understand our standards and expectations and what mine are of how the program is going to be run. And they're trying to do the right thing. They're trying to play with relentless effort. They're trying to be a champion both on and off the field in how they carry themselves in life."

247Sports reporter Luke Stampini was at Mullen's speech in Tampa last week and contributed to this report.