ATHENS — Trevor Etienne was seen as one of the top transfer portal additions this offseason. His play of late has validated that hype.
Etienne made a big impact for the Georgia offense against then-No. 1 Texas, scoring all three touchdowns. He added 87 rushing yards on 19 carries and turned his three receptions into 23 yards.
“I mean, he has been a bright spot, especially off the field, like energy, enthusiasm, leadership,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “I mean, he cares about those linemen. He does things for them that are just, we haven’t had guys run here do that. And he was big the other night for us. He made some really big cuts and runs and exploded through the line. It gave us a weapon that we needed.”
For as well as Etienne, who transferred from Florida, has played for Georgia, he hasn’t done it all on his own. He and Smart both were quick to credit Georgia’s offensive line for how the group played.
Georgia’s offensive line gave up one sack on the evening, and it could be argued that the sack was the responsibility of quarterback Carson Beck for not getting rid of the football quickly enough.
As for the ground game, while the passing offense had misfire after misfire, Etienne and the offensive line were massive in Georgia opening a 23-0 halftime lead.
“Things don’t always go our way,” offensive lineman Dylan Fairchild said. “Things won’t always go our quarterback’s way, and that’s why it’s a team sport. It’s our job to pick them up. It’s our job to keep the ball rolling. It’s not always going to go perfect. It’s not always going to go to plan. And so being able to adjust and find a spot to attack is the way to do it.”
Some may have wanted to see Etienne run the football even more, given the early success Georgia had in the run game. But with the lead mushrooming and the Bulldogs short-handed at running back, Georgia clearly wanted to manage Etienne’s workload.
The Bulldogs were without running backs Branson Robinson and Roderick Robinson, as those two deal with injuries. Both likely will miss the Florida game after the off-week (3:30 p.m. Nov. 2, ABC), as Branson Robinson is dealing with an MCL injury and Roderick Robinson is recovering from toe surgery.
That put Nate Frazier as Georgia’s No. 2 running back. He had only 10 yards on four carries. Cash Jones served largely as a third-down running back, with only one rushing attempt.
While Etienne’s explosiveness dwindled as the game wore on, he still made the most important play of the night. He punched in a fourth-down run for a touchdown. It proved to be the final score in what was a 30-15 win for the Bulldogs.
“You know, it’s going to — it’s not always going to go perfect the first time,” Fairchild said. “Being able to just stay resilient and keep running it and keep running it is great. And I’m just, I love to see it. Like as an O-lineman, it’s fun to do. It’s fun to see. It’s fun to watch. So, just to watch great backs do their thing is awesome.”
Because Etienne’s next game will come against his former team, there understandably will be a lot of eyes on the junior running back. But not just because he’ll be facing off against his former teammates. He clearly has become Georgia’s best, and now most important, skill player.
“I’m excited. I get to see some of my former teammates,” Etienne said after the game. “There’s nothing but love for those guys. I can’t wait to get out there and compete against those guys.”
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