Georgia coach Kirby Smart provided an update on running back Trevor Etienne, who left Saturday’s game with a rib injury.
“Etienne, I feel good about,” Smart said. “He felt good yesterday (Sunday). I don’t know a lot till we get out there and practice (Monday). The big thing is his ability to sustain and deal with the pain.
“He’s a tough kid.”
Etienne is Georgia’s leading running back this season, recording 453 yards and seven touchdowns. He has also caught 20 passes for 130 yards.
With Etienne out, Georgia turned to Nate Frazier to be the team’s leading ball carrier in Saturday’s 34-20 win over Florida. He had 19 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown.
“We’ve got to show confidence in him and play (him) because a back can’t make it through this league trying to do it by himself,” Smart said of Frazier on Saturday. “He is not shy of contact, but he’s got to get vertical and not try to outrun everything to the sideline.”
Etienne is not the only injured running back at this time, as the Bulldogs have also been without Branson Robinson and Roderick Robinson. Branson Robinson missed the last two games with an MCL injury he suffered against Mississippi State. Roderick Robinson has not played in a game this year as he deals with a toe injury.
Georgia was also without Anthony Evans, the team’s punt returner. Smart added that the team hopes to get Smael Mondon, Roderick Robinson and Evans back healthy.
“Anthony’s dealing with a little bit of a hamstring, so we’re hopeful to get him back,” Smart said Saturday. “It happened late last week (in practice). So it’s why we train multiple guys to be able to return the ball. Malaki (Starks) became the next guy, and kickoff it became Cash (Jones).”
No. 2 Georgia (7-1) takes on No. 16 Ole Miss on Saturday (7-2) at 3:30 p.m. in Oxford, Mississippi.
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