MISSOULA — Eli Gillman was asked about his Mt. Rushmore of running backs after practice Monday, and he spent half his choices on teammates that are (or were) in the Montana Grizzlies running back room: Younger brother Monte Gillman and Nick Ostmo.

Now the elder statesman, the older Gillman has inherited the veteran role that players like Ostmo and Marcus Knight had before him. 

It's a room full of talent, with Gillman on the verge of several rushing records for a program that has had great running backs. 

Other than that, things are pretty much the same. 

"I still approach it the same way — like every opportunity is a chance to get better," Gillman, who has rushed for 3,677 yards and 49 touchdowns as a Griz. "Whether that's 20 carries or 12, each one I think is an opportunity to get better." 

It's notable that Gillman missed spring drills letting a shoulder heal up. It's also notable that everyone from new head coach Bobby Kennedy to running backs coach Dom Daste likes the depth behind No. 10. 

They've got to be ready, from holdovers like Monte Gillman and Hashim Jones to newcomers Fynn Ridgeway and Washington State transfer Dylan Paine. 

"Our standards are the standards," Daste said. "Whether you've been here five years and are about to break a bunch of records or you're someone new like Courtney (Rogers, a 200-pound freshman). You're held accountable, just like everybody else." 

Paine is an interesting player, partly because he joins brother Ashton, a defensive back, on the Griz roster. Both began their careers at Washington State; Dylan averaged over 5 yards a carry in three seasons with the Cougars, but injuries limited his playing time to 49 carries (for 254 yards). 

He's had to adjust to the rigors of this fall camp — "Six days in a row, it's hard core," he said Monday — and seems has succeeded. 

"I know the standard here; the standard is to win," Paine said. "I've enjoyed every second of it." 

Both he and Eli Gillman seem healthy, and in fact Gillman said currently he's feeling the best he's felt since he arrived on campus. 

Meanwhile Chase Cook, a true freshman out of Red Lodge, and Fynn Ridgeway, the Whitefish product who moved to running back during spring drills, have impressed. 

"I'm a big fan of Fynn Ridgeway," Kennedy said, not for the first time. "Not only will he help us on special teams, he'll add depth to our running back corps." 

Back to the bell cow that is Gillman. 

"He's in a really good spot right now," Kennedy said. "But if you ever think you've arrived, you're probably going to stay in the same spot. If he thinks he's good enough, then he's not going to be as good as we want him to be." 

As for the rest of Mt. Rushmore, Gillman chose Adrian Peterson and Barry Sanders. 

"I watched Adrian Peterson a lot, but I don't run like him," he said. "I guess I just kind of run around."