EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants failed to find a running game with a crowded backfield last season, and the numbers are worse in training camp.

Rashad Jennings, Shane Vereen, Andre Williams and Orleans Darkwa have been joined by fifth-round draft pick Paul Perkins, veteran Bobby Rainey and free agent Marshaun Coprich in the competition to make the roster.

Rashad Jennings, who emerged as one of the Giants top runners last season, said he isn't concerned with having so many running backs competing in New York's training camp. Associated Press/Julio Cortez

Andre Williams is a returning veteran at running back for the Giants, who turned to their passing game for points last season. Associated Press/Bill Kostroun

Doling out the carries is not easy, and the running backs need to put them to good use.

With a little more than a week to go until the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium, Jennings seems to have the inside track on being the No. 1 back.

The eight-year veteran finished last season strong and led the Giants with career highs of 863 yards rushing on 195 attempts, a 4.4 yard average.

However, it marked the third straight year New York failed to generate a 1,000-yard rusher, and the fourth in the past five. The Giants rushing totals in missing the playoffs the past four seasons have been 1,609, 1,603, 1,332 and 1,862 yards.

Running backs coach Craig Johnson doesn’t want a running game by committee. He would rather have one back get hot and ride him. That’s what happened with Jennings late last season.

“We allowed him to do some stuff,” Johnson said. “We’re going to see if we can find the rhythm with a pair and maybe a third guy and, obviously, if it was like we finished the year, like Rashad finished, that would take care of a lot of problems. At the end of the year … he was playing as well as any back in football.”

If the running game can get going, that would take some of the pressure off Eli Manning and the receivers, who carried the offense.

Getting the running game going is going to take some time and help from the line, which has all five starters back.

Jennings isn’t worried about having limited carries with so many backs in camp.

“Every play is its own play,” he said. “It’s a brand new play, a brand new situation, a brand new down and distance, it’s a brand new culture of that play. How to fit in the triangles with the pass, how to fit in the gap scheme in the zone on everything that you’re doing so when you’re in, you’re just taking advantage of the play that you’re in and being fully 100 percent on where your feet are at per play.”

Vereen, who took over the role as the third-down back last season and had 59 catches for 494 yards and four touchdowns, isn’t worried about the numbers game.

“I like having a lot of guys in the room because everyone has a different style and everyone brings something new to the table so you can learn a lot from that,” he said.

Perkins might have the most to learn. The former UCLA product missed most of the organized team activities while finishing school, so he is playing catch-up.

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