Former Florida running back [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] will face in-house consequences at Georgia after a DUI arrest on Sunday, according to Kirby Smart.
“I know there’s a lot of interest in the Trevor situation from this past weekend,” Smart opened his Tuesday press conference. “I would first want to reiterate what I said last week about the kid. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him. I think he’s a great kid, great person.
“We’ve gotten to know his family. He enjoys being coached. He’s a bright kid and we push him hard out there. He really loves the competition, but as we also know, sometimes kids don’t make the best decisions.”
Etienne was stopped on Sunday for reckless driving and a DUI test ensued after he presented signs of impairment, according to an incident report obtained by DawgsHQ. He did not consent to a field sobriety test and was released on bond early Sunday morning.
“The older you get, sometimes the tougher the consequences are for your mistakes,” Smart continued. “He’s not going to let this mistake define him. He’s embarrassed, upset and knows he made a mistake. It’s a teaching moment, and we hope he gets better from it… Disappointed in his decision-making, but he is a good kid.”
Etienne was the top running back in the transfer portal this offseason. Losing him was a bad look for Florida, but this isn’t a great start for Etienne in Athens. Georgia’s in-house discipline should manifest in the form of a suspension.
Etienne’s impact at Florida
The former four-star recruit played in all 13 games as a freshman at Florida, rushing for 719 yards and six touchdowns. He topped those numbers in 2023, putting up 753 yards and eight touchdowns in two fewer games.
Many fans viewed Etienne as Florida’s most talented rusher, but Montrell Johnson Jr. served as the team’s lead back for the past two seasons.
Approaching draft eligibility and knowing Johnson would likely return for his senior year, Etienne decided to make a change and join a winning team. His off-the-field actions could hurt his draft stock, though.
Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.