Davie, Fla. ? Rookie Fred Russell settled into Ricky Williams’ former locker, a clear indication the Miami Dolphins were ready to move on as they opened training camp Saturday without their running back.

It wasn’t easy.

Although Williams wasn’t listed on any rosters and his No. 34 was nowhere to be found on the first day of camp, the majority of questions centered around his stunning retirement that left the Dolphins with a huge void to fill.

“It’s football. People always leave football,” tight end Randy McMichael said. “Sure, Ricky was the centerpiece of our offense. But now that he’s not here, we have to move on. We can’t just sit here and say, ‘Oh my God, he’s gone. What are we going to do now?’

“We have to play football — with or without him.”

Williams, who ran for 3,225 yards in two years with the Dolphins, hasn’t given the team any reason to believe he will change his mind about quitting.

The 27-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner told The Miami Herald marijuana played a large role in his decision to walk away after just five pro seasons.

He told the newspaper he failed a third drug test for marijuana use, which would cost him a four-game suspension if he returned and said he learned of the failed test days before telling coach Dave Wannstedt he was done playing.

“It makes for a great story, but for the most part, we’re not even going to think about it,” linebacker Junior Seau said. “We’re not going to put any energy toward it. Obviously, there are probably going to be some personal thoughts that everyone may have, but we’re going to deal with football and come together as a team. We’re going to focus on the guys in the locker room.”

Miami running back Travis Minor, left, tries to elude Morlon Greenwood. The Dolphins opened camp Saturday at Davie, Fla.

Center Seth McKinney was maybe the most critical of Williams’ decision, calling it “the most selfish thing a person could do.”

“I said what I meant, and I meant what I said,” McKinney said. “I said he quit, and he did. I was bothered by it, but he’s not part of this team, and it doesn’t affect us anymore. It’s over. I was upset, but I’m not worried about it one bit.”

The Dolphins have plenty of other things to worry about, like signing Pro Bowl defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, deciding between Jay Fiedler and A.J. Feeley at quarterback, solidifying a revamped offensive line and working the kinks out of an offense that changed coordinators twice since last season.

Williams’ retirement overshadowed all of it Saturday.

“It’s been overanalyzed and talked about. It’s over now. Let it go. He’s gone,” defensive end Jason Taylor said. “I don’t know where he is. I know we have a locker room full of guys who want to play football. The timing was difficult, but you’re dealt bad hands sometimes, and you have to play them.

“Our goals haven’t changed. Our expectations haven’t changed. Our resolve hasn’t changed.”

But the backfield sure has.

Travis Minor opened camp as the starter, taking the first handoff, sprinting up the middle and getting a loud cheer from the fans.

The 5-foot-10, 205-pound back carried just 85 times for 373 yards the last two years and hasn’t started a game in three NFL seasons.

He doesn’t have the size, strength and durability that Williams showed, but barring a trade, the team expects Minor to carry the load. Sammy Morris and Leonard Henry also are in the mix.

“You have to look at it just like Ricky got hurt the first day of training camp, and you lost him for the season,” Taylor said.