Atlanta Due to his arrest earlier this spring on DUI and reckless driving charges, transfer running back Trevor Etienne will not play for Georgia in Saturday’s opener against No. 14 Clemson, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
Etienne, who moved from Florida to Georgia in January, was anticipated to start at tailback for the top-ranked Bulldogs in their game against the Tigers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Georgia RB, among other sources Against Clemson, Trevor Etienne will not play.
Roderick Robinson II, Georgia’s tailback, will also be absent due to surgery he had recently for turf toe.
When running the ball against the Tigers, the Bulldogs will rely on walk-on Cash Jones, freshman Nate Frazier, and sophomore Branson Robinson.
Travis Etienne Jr.’s younger brother, Etienne, was taken into custody on March 24 on suspicion of driving under the influence, careless driving, and three additional misdemeanors. Prosecutors dismissed the DUI allegation in July when Etienne entered a plea deal in which he admitted guilt to charges of underage alcohol possession, failure to maintain lane, and window tint violation, and no contest to dangerous driving.
He was placed on probation for a whole year. In addition to a $852 fine, he was mandated to finish an alcohol risk reduction program, 40 hours of community service, and a substance abuse evaluation.
If Etienne had been found guilty of DUI, the Georgia athletic department would have mandated that he miss at least one game, or 10% of the Bulldogs’ season. At first, it was not apparent if the plea deal altered that.
“I don’t really talk about all the other stuff, with regards to suspensions, for any of our players,” Kirby Smart, the coach, stated on Monday.
Due to a ruptured patella tendon, Branson Robinson was sidelined for the whole 2023 season. Robinson, the top running back prospect in the 2022 class according to ESPN, has not been limited in his preseason workout, according to Smart.
In 2022, Robinson, a freshman from Canton, Mississippi, ran for 330 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensive Lineman OUT vs Clemson
The season opened with a ranked week one battle between the Georgia Bulldogs and Clemson Tigers at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The outcome of this game will undoubtedly give the winning side a ton of momentum since both teams entered the game with hopes of qualifying for the college football playoffs. Unfortunately, defensive lineman Xavier McLeod injured himself before the game and will not play for Georgia on Saturday. McLeod, who moved here from South Carolina during the offseason, is anticipated to have an impact this year.
Georgia was already missing a few players going into this football game, so it would not be ideal to lose any more names for the rest of the game. Priority one should be winning the first-round battle against Clemson, but maintaining player health would also be very important.
