Kirby Smart discusses Trevor Etienne's versatility ahead of Florida game

This Saturday's game against Florida will be the biggest of the season for Georgia football superstar running back Trevor Etienne. Yes it is a rivalry game, so that makes it bigger for everyone, but Etienne spent his first two years of college football at Florida before transferring to Georgia.

This will be the first time Etienne will face his former team and teammates, which obviously is a huge deal for him. But at the end of the day, it's just football, and Etienne will need to keep his head in the game.

That is what was going through the head of Kirby Smart when he discussed the versatility that he sees in Etienne ahead of the Florida game this weekend.

"Yeah, he's a really good receiver," Smart said via 247Sports.com. "He catches the ball well out of the backfield, as most of our backs do. Nate does, Cash does. He's really good. I mean, if you play man-to-man, he's one-on-one with the backer. If you play zone, then he can catch the ball underneath and turn it into a big gain.

Trevor Etienne as a pass catcher

We all know by now how great Etienne is in the run game. That was on full display in Georgia's win over Texas when he totaled 87 yards and three touchdows on 19 carries. But one underrated part of his game is how special he is as a pass catcher as well.

Etienne was not active in the passing game through his first three games of the season as he only recorded five catches for 36 yards. However, the previous three games have been a completely different story.

In Georgia's last three games, Etienne has totaled 15 catches for 94 yards. Etienne has yet to find the endzone through the air, but when he's putting up these kinds of numbers then that isn't a huge deal.

Smart explained it best how Etienne is able to be effective in the passing game both against the zone and man. This versatility is what turns Etienne from a good back to an elite back. Etienne can beat you in so many ways, and opponents never know how Smart and his staff will use him in their offensive schemes.

That versatility is what makes him so special, and I don't think it's a coincidence that Etienne has improved drastically on the ground at the same time his passing stats began increasing.

So how will Etienne respond against his former teammates? That is yet to be seen. But one thing's for certain, Etienne is extemely excited for the opportunity this weekend.