Trevor Etienne announced a starter in Georgia’s home opener after missing Week 1

After losing Daijuan Edwards and Kendall Milton, last season’s two leading rushers at Georgia, Kirby Smart went out and plucked running back Trevor Etienne out of Gainesville. Etienne entered the transfer portal after racking up 753 rushing yards on 131 carries for the Florida Gators last season and was expected to be Georgia’s lead running back in 2024. 

However, Etienne was arrested for a DUI this offseason and despite the allegations ultimately being dismissed, while other charges weren’t, Etienne missed Georgia’s season-opening win against Clemson in Atlanta last week. 

Without Etienne and Roderick Robinson II who is dealing with a toe injury, true freshman Nate Frazier stepped up for Mike Bobo’s offense, rushing for 83 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. Frazier split reps in the backfield with Branson Robinson who finished with just 12 yards on seven carries and struggled to gain any traction after missing last season due to a knee injury. 

Now, in Georgia’s home opener against Tennessee Tech at Sanford Stadium, Etienne was announced as a starter for Georgia’s offense and will likely be a key piece of the offense. However, it will still be tough for Kirby Smart to keep Frazier off the field. A two-running back tandem could be the best thing for Georgia’s running game, and entering week 2 as huge favorites, the Bulldogs have a perfect opportunity to experiment.