University of Georgia Athletics
Versatile Etienne Made Tigers Miss
October 05, 2024 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Trevor Etienne didn't rush for 100 yards Saturday in No. 5 Georgia's 31-13 win over Auburn at Sanford Stadium. He also didn't have 50 or 100 yards receiving. But what the junior running back did was a healthy bit of both rushing and receiving — and a whole lot of juking.
Georgia's victory, its eighth in a row over the Tigers, was a grind-it-out performance. The Bulldogs gained 381 total yards, ahead of Auburn's 337, and both teams averaged 5.8 yards per play.
Out of the Bulldogs' 66 plays, Etienne touched the ball 22 times — one out of every three. He led the rushing attack with 16 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He also caught a team-high six passes for 36 yards, a 6.0 average per catch.
His hug from coach Kirby Smart as he walked off the field and his smile during postgame interviews were well-earned.
"We had a great day today, but there are definitely things we need to fix and work on to get better," Etienne said.
When asked to describe his running style, here's what Etienne, the 5-foot-9 and 205-pounder, said: "I just try to be physical, downhill, kind of twitchy — I'd say I just try to make the defender miss."
That's something Etienne has done a lot of in his career. During his first two collegiate seasons, at Florida, he ran the ball 249 times for 1,472 yards and 14 touchdowns; he also had 30 receptions for 238 yards and a touchdown and returned 28 kicks for 671 yards.
In four games with the Bulldogs, Etienne has rushed a team-high 52 times for 300 yards — a 5.8 average — and three touchdowns. His 11 receptions are tied for fourth on the team, as well. As for his jukes that left defenders either leaning the wrong way or on the ground, you'd have to study his every touch this season to produce that number — but it's more than a few.
Asked to describe what it feels like to leave a defender reaching for air instead of making a tackle, knowing that when you watch the film back later there will be a lot of reason to smile, Etienne offered a modest answer.
"I'm just out there trying to do the best I can — get first downs, get a touchdown, move the ball forward and get positive yards," he said. "When I watch it on film, yeah, it was a great move, but move forward. It happened already and you can't pat yourself on the back too much."
Probably not, but his teammates can.
"He's the same (in practice) as he is in games," said a laughing Raylen Wilson, an inside linebacker who has to face Etienne during the week. "He goes the same way; he can move, man. He's a good back to go against because you're going to get better every day."
Has Etienne ever juked Wilson in practice like he did some Tigers on Saturday?
"Shoot, probably. I don't remember," Wilson said. "You try to forget those."
It was Auburn's job to try to slow Etienne down Saturday, and they did make him work for everything he got. But he still produced 124 all-purpose yards and half of the Bulldogs' touchdowns.
On Georgia's opening drive, Etienne had three rushes and two receptions for a combined 21 yards. His nine-yard reception off a screen from Carson Beck featured a few broken tackles and gave the Bulldogs a first down at the Tiger 2-yard line. He plowed up the middle for a touchdown on the next play, putting Georgia ahead 7-0 with 6:24 to play in the first quarter.
Later in the first half, with Georgia facing a third-and-1 at the Tiger 40, Etienne burst around the right side for a 23-yard gain to the 17. He had a six-yard reception on the next play, and wideout Dominic Lovett caught an 11-yard touchdown on the play after that to put the Bulldogs ahead 14-3 at the half.
On Georgia's second drive of the third quarter, after backup back Nate Frazier had gotten a few carries, Etienne came in and delivered. He got four yards on his first attempt of the half and 21, complete with some jukes and speed, down to the Tiger 2 on his second. Etienne later scored from the 1 to put the Bulldogs in front 21-10. Later, on Georgia's final touchdown drive, Etienne had a critical blitz pickup on a 13-yard completion to Lovett.
Just past midway through the fourth, when the Bulldogs were trying to put the game away for good, Etienne caught an eight-yard pass on third-and-9 at the Bulldog 26, setting up a fourth-and-1. Georgia coach Kirby Smart trusted his offense and left it on the field despite facing a fourth down on its 35. Etienne got the ball and eked out a one-yard gain for the first.
Etienne's 22nd and final touch of the game was a seven-yard run that set up Peyton Woodring's win-sealing 47-yard field goal with 1:50 remaining. Etienne said he likes being involved as a rusher and a receiver, but he likes winning more.
"I could have zero catches and zero yards, but as long as we're victorious, I'm happy," he said.
Thanks in part to his rushes and catches Saturday, the Bulldogs were victorious.
Staff Writer
Trevor Etienne didn't rush for 100 yards Saturday in No. 5 Georgia's 31-13 win over Auburn at Sanford Stadium. He also didn't have 50 or 100 yards receiving. But what the junior running back did was a healthy bit of both rushing and receiving — and a whole lot of juking.
Georgia's victory, its eighth in a row over the Tigers, was a grind-it-out performance. The Bulldogs gained 381 total yards, ahead of Auburn's 337, and both teams averaged 5.8 yards per play.
Out of the Bulldogs' 66 plays, Etienne touched the ball 22 times — one out of every three. He led the rushing attack with 16 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He also caught a team-high six passes for 36 yards, a 6.0 average per catch.
His hug from coach Kirby Smart as he walked off the field and his smile during postgame interviews were well-earned.
"We had a great day today, but there are definitely things we need to fix and work on to get better," Etienne said.
When asked to describe his running style, here's what Etienne, the 5-foot-9 and 205-pounder, said: "I just try to be physical, downhill, kind of twitchy — I'd say I just try to make the defender miss."
That's something Etienne has done a lot of in his career. During his first two collegiate seasons, at Florida, he ran the ball 249 times for 1,472 yards and 14 touchdowns; he also had 30 receptions for 238 yards and a touchdown and returned 28 kicks for 671 yards.
In four games with the Bulldogs, Etienne has rushed a team-high 52 times for 300 yards — a 5.8 average — and three touchdowns. His 11 receptions are tied for fourth on the team, as well. As for his jukes that left defenders either leaning the wrong way or on the ground, you'd have to study his every touch this season to produce that number — but it's more than a few.
Asked to describe what it feels like to leave a defender reaching for air instead of making a tackle, knowing that when you watch the film back later there will be a lot of reason to smile, Etienne offered a modest answer.
"I'm just out there trying to do the best I can — get first downs, get a touchdown, move the ball forward and get positive yards," he said. "When I watch it on film, yeah, it was a great move, but move forward. It happened already and you can't pat yourself on the back too much."
Probably not, but his teammates can.
"He's the same (in practice) as he is in games," said a laughing Raylen Wilson, an inside linebacker who has to face Etienne during the week. "He goes the same way; he can move, man. He's a good back to go against because you're going to get better every day."
Has Etienne ever juked Wilson in practice like he did some Tigers on Saturday?
"Shoot, probably. I don't remember," Wilson said. "You try to forget those."
It was Auburn's job to try to slow Etienne down Saturday, and they did make him work for everything he got. But he still produced 124 all-purpose yards and half of the Bulldogs' touchdowns.
On Georgia's opening drive, Etienne had three rushes and two receptions for a combined 21 yards. His nine-yard reception off a screen from Carson Beck featured a few broken tackles and gave the Bulldogs a first down at the Tiger 2-yard line. He plowed up the middle for a touchdown on the next play, putting Georgia ahead 7-0 with 6:24 to play in the first quarter.
Later in the first half, with Georgia facing a third-and-1 at the Tiger 40, Etienne burst around the right side for a 23-yard gain to the 17. He had a six-yard reception on the next play, and wideout Dominic Lovett caught an 11-yard touchdown on the play after that to put the Bulldogs ahead 14-3 at the half.
On Georgia's second drive of the third quarter, after backup back Nate Frazier had gotten a few carries, Etienne came in and delivered. He got four yards on his first attempt of the half and 21, complete with some jukes and speed, down to the Tiger 2 on his second. Etienne later scored from the 1 to put the Bulldogs in front 21-10. Later, on Georgia's final touchdown drive, Etienne had a critical blitz pickup on a 13-yard completion to Lovett.
Just past midway through the fourth, when the Bulldogs were trying to put the game away for good, Etienne caught an eight-yard pass on third-and-9 at the Bulldog 26, setting up a fourth-and-1. Georgia coach Kirby Smart trusted his offense and left it on the field despite facing a fourth down on its 35. Etienne got the ball and eked out a one-yard gain for the first.
Etienne's 22nd and final touch of the game was a seven-yard run that set up Peyton Woodring's win-sealing 47-yard field goal with 1:50 remaining. Etienne said he likes being involved as a rusher and a receiver, but he likes winning more.
"I could have zero catches and zero yards, but as long as we're victorious, I'm happy," he said.
Thanks in part to his rushes and catches Saturday, the Bulldogs were victorious.
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
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