2023-12-24 17:49:48
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia has landed one of the most coveted offensive players in the transfer portal, dealing a blow to a rival in the process: Florida running back Trevor Etienne is headed to the Bulldogs, he announced Sunday.
Etienne fills a need for Georgia, which is set to lose its top two rushers from this season, seniors Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards. The Bulldogs had three young tailbacks and signed three players on Wednesday who can play tailback, but they wanted proven experience to head the backfield next year. Etienne fits that.
As a sophomore this fall, Etienne rushed for 753 yards and eight touchdowns. He rushed for 719 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman.
He’s the younger brother of Jacksonville Jaguars tailback Travis Etienne, who starred for Clemson. Trevor Etienne was a four-star prospect out of Jennings, La., and Georgia was not a major factor in his recruitment. But following seeing what he did for the Gators — including 95 yards on 18 carries in his two games once morest Georgia — the Bulldogs decided to pounce.
What else it means for Georgia’s offense
The list of skill-position players around whom the 2024 offense will revolve is taking shape.
Quarterback Carson Beck’s return is the biggest piece. An experienced hand running the offense will be vital with Georgia’s schedule: the opener once morest Clemson in Atlanta, then trips to Alabama, Texas and Ole Miss, among other games.
At tight end and receiver, Brock Bowers will be leaving, and Ladd McConkey and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint might be leaving. But Georgia is adding London Humphreys from Vanderbilt and Colbie Young from Miami and returns Dominic Lovett, Rara Thomas and Dillon Bell, among others. Oscar Delp will step into the No. 1 tight end role, with Lawson Luckie as the backup.
Etienne can also be a factor in the passing game: He had 21 catches for 172 yards and a touchdown this year, and nine catches for 66 yards as a freshman.
At 5 feet 9 and 218 pounds, Etienne is built like his older brother. Clemson recruited the younger Etienne, but he wanted to go his own route.
“They’re both complete backs,” Emerson Baty, a Louisiana trainer who worked with both brothers, told The Athletic last year. “They shouldn’t be perceived as ‘Travis is a speed back and Trevor is a power back’ because they both can go between the tackles and they both can beat you to the edge. They can both do whatever a coach asks of them.”
Who else does Georgia have at running back?
Nate Frazier, the nation’s second-ranked tailback in the 2024 class, signed on Wednesday. Georgia also got the 12th-ranked tailback (Dwight Phillips Jr.) and 16th-ranked tailback (Chauncey Bowens).
Three veterans should also return, but all have injury history: Branson Robinson, who was set to be a big part of the offense, tore his patella tendon in the preseason and missed the season. Andrew Paul tore his ACL as a freshman in 2022. Roderick Robinson was limited to four games as a true freshman.
So there’s depth and plenty of potential. And now there’s an SEC veteran to head the group.
(Photo: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
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