PITTSBURGH — It’s a post-Rushel Shell world, and Pitt’s just living in it.

Shell was expected to fill the void left by departed senior Ray Graham and become the next in a line of 1,000-yard backs at Pitt, a list that includes Graham, Dion Lewis, and LeSean McCoy.

Instead, Shell abruptly left the program following his freshman season and eventually transferred to West Virginia. His departure left a significant hole on the depth chart, one a host of backs are hoping to fill.

Isaac Bennett and Malcolm Crocket — who combined for 191 yards rushing in 2012 — are the only returning players who took snaps out of the backfield last fall. While they will get the first crack at the starting spot, they won’t lack for competition.