Dana Holgorsen was asked Monday about the status of his sophomore running back, who happened to be the team’s leading rusher last season. Holgorsen said Garrison had a setback last week and needed a few days off because of soreness.

This is not good news for Garrison. The coaches and the athletic trainers knew this was a possibility and they were prepared for it toward the end of camp, when he might wear down or the knee might act up, so it’s not totally surprising. It’s just not an ideal development, especially with Torry Clayton up and leaving over the weekend.

So now, even more than before, the focus is on Shawne Alston and finding ways to keep him healthy while requiring more of him.

“With his style of running, he’s going to get banged up,” Gillespie said. “He needs to be able to take more of the bumps he took last year and he has to have the endurance to play the whole game.”

This is all new to Alston, whose 20 carries in the Orange Bowl in relief of Garrison were a career high. He only had double-digit carries four times before that. Alston was good for about 12 to 15 carries a game and maybe twice as many total snaps.

Gillespie said Alston’s offseason and preseason preparations have him ready for handle at least 10 more snaps a game now. More important will he his ability to stay on the field and not have to take a break because he’s taken a hit or taken the ball a number of snaps in a row.