AUBURN, Alabama —Auburn's leading running back has entered the NCAA's transfer portal, a source tells Auburn Undercover.

JaTarvious Whitlow, a rising junior, appeared in the NCAA's transfer system Wednesday after two days of rumors of his impending departure at Auburn, where relationships had broken down between the player and staff members, sources tell Auburn Undercover.

His departure leaves a big hole in the offense, but plenty of opportunities for the Tigers, who have struggled in the running game in recent seasons.

Whitlow was Auburn’s starter for most of the 2019 season, leading the Tigers with 763 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 11 games. He ranked sixth in the SEC with 10 rushing touchdowns last season. He emerged as a key cog in the offense as a redshirt freshman in 2018 after moving from receiver to running back. He led the Tigers with 787 rushing yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry.

The Tigers failed to record a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the last two seasons, snapping a 10-year streak that was also an SEC record. The Tigers will turn to a backfield of mostly inexperienced-but-bluechip tailbacks. Sophomore D.J. Williams played as a freshman last season (400 yards on 84 carries) while Mark-Antony Richards sat on the sideline nursing an injured knee. Auburn running backs coach Cadillac Williams has compared Richards to former Auburn star Kerryon Johnson, the last player to rush for 1,000 yards for the Tigers (2017).

Newcomer Tank Bigsby might have the biggest opportunity to make an impression this spring, especially with role player Shaun Shivers skipping drills to concentrate on his track career this semester. The 4-star running back could be in the hunt for the starting job after signing with the Tigers in December. He is rated the nation's fourth-best running back, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Other running backs fighting for playing time include senior Malik Miller and sophomore Harold Joiner, though Miller has mostly been used in the red zone and Joiner as a Wildcat quarterback and option in the passing game.

Whitlow was rated a 3-star prospect out of nearby LaFayette High School, a Class 2A school, where he played quarterback, according to the 247Sports Composite. He accounted for 17.7 points per game, 2,292 passing yards, 2,147 rushing yards and 33 total touchdowns as a senior in 2016.

Whitlow may be best remembered for his 10-yard touchdown run on third-and-7 late in the fourth quarter against Washington in the 2018 season opener. The score proved to be the game-winner for the Tigers in the 21-16 victory against the eventual Pac-12 champions.

Whitlow was known for speaking his mind, which often led to controversial comments. He hasn't been made available to the media since the Tigers' 2019 season opener.

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