One offseason decision that shocked everyone was when Georgia football running back Trevor Etienne declared for the NFL Draft. Maybe it’s because some thought he’d return to Athens for one final season, but regardless this news was a bit surprising.
Fellow running back Nate Frazier was equally shocked by this decision as well, and he recently shared his thoughts on Etienne’s decision with the media earlier this week.
“When Trevor (Etienne) decided to clear out, I was like, Oh my God,” Frazier shared via ugawire.usatoday.com. “But it just meant I just had to step up to the plate. And really just, yeah, that’s really it. Just step up, work. But wasn’t really affected by it at all. It didn’t really change anything. Just, yeah really hate that he left. That’s my guy.”
Frazier has new role
Now that Etienne is gone, Frazier has a new role that he has to step into. Frazier has already been the top running back for Georgia as he led the team in rushing last season with 671 yards and eight touchdowns, but he was never supposed to be the lead back for the Bulldogs.
But Georgia’s running back room dealt with multiple injuries all season, including to Etienne, so Frazier stepped up as a true freshman and helped lead Georgia to an SEC Championship.
Now that Etienne is gone, Frazier is the guy for Georgia in the backfield. He is the leader of this group and expected to dominate on the field. And this seems like a role he is more than ready for.
“I’m just trying to grow in every process and just try to build a great relationship with all my teammates and all the new people that’s here,” Frazier continued. “Just like you said, it’s my first spring here, so I’m just trying to just grow and grow with the team and just everybody just vibe and get into stuff like that.”
There are a lot of things Georgia fans are worried about heading into the fall, but Frazier is not one of them. Most Georgia fans actually hope he receives more carries than last year because that’s how confident everyone is in him. Hopefully Kirby Smart and Mike Bobo share those same thoughts, because Frazier could have an electric season if he gets more opportunities.