Kirby Smart explains decision to decline comment on length of Trevor Etienne suspension

As Georgia gets ready to take on Tennessee Tech this week, the big question remains the status of Trevor Etienne. He didn’t play in the opener against Clemson, although Kirby Smart wouldn’t confirm it was a suspension related to an offseason DUI.

As for whether the Florida transfer will play on Saturday, Smart’s answer remained the same as it was last week. He declined comment on whether Etienne would be on the field or the length of his suspension.

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“Again, we don’t talk about it,” Smart said. “It’s not something that I share or talk about. Respectfully, respect your question.”

Smart was later asked why he doesn’t comment on potential suspensions. He said the goal is to “defend” his players and avoid making more headlines.

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“It’s not gamesmanship at all for me – it’s a kid,” Smart said. “It’s a kid, his family. When recruits come in my room, they say, we respect the way you handle things because a kid takes enough drug-through-the-mud headlines, everybody puts it out there. And then nobody knows if it’s wrong or it gets dropped or any of that. They don’t do that.

“I want to defend the kid. To discuss it again and say it again, then it’s another whole headline out there. It’s not gamesmanship in any way, shape or form for me. It’s just, I don’t want that for the kid. I don’t want to have to go through that again. That’s why I don’t discuss it.”

Etienne was arrested in March on four charges – driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane and affixing materials that reduce the visibility from windows and/or windshield. He posted a $1,883 bond and was released less than an hour after he was booked.

The charges were dropped in July as part of a plea deal. However, Georgia athletics policy said Etienne still had to serve a suspension for the arrest, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. During Saturday’s game, Molly McGrath also said she spoke with Smart, who said it was “not necessarily” a one-game suspension for Etienne.

Trevor Etienne was impressive during his two seasons at Florida, splitting carries with Montrell Johnson. In 2023, he totaled 753 rushing yards and eight touchdowns before entering the transfer portal and committing to Georgia.