Georgia RB transfer Trevor Etienne feeling at home already

New Georgia running back Trevor Etienne is the most recent guest of the Real Talk podcast with Tate Ratledge and Brett Thorson, and it’s the first opportunity he’s had to share on the decision to transfer from Florida. A productive player for the Gators, Etienne chose the Bulldogs as his landing spot out of the transfer portal, and he certainly seems to be welcomed in Athens.

Before letting the guest share his story, Ratledge said Etienne been one of the most-liked newcomers during his time at Georgia with a good personality. He added that the star running back has “made himself known, but in a good way.” Etienne appreciated the compliments and responded with how much of an open arms approach it’s been in the locker room.

“I’m in this alone or with y’all,” he said. “Gotta learn to get along with everyone right now.”

A native of Jennings, Louisiana, Etienne, the younger brother of former Clemson standout and Jacksonville Jaguars star Travis, chose Florida as he looked for a different experience. He knew what it’d be like to play at LSU and live in Baton Rouge and had been along for the journey with his brother at Clemson. Georgia was among the schools he considered, but the Bulldogs instead signed Branson Robinson and added Andrew Paul to the class late.

Etienne has been one of the best backs in the SEC over the course of two seasons at Florida, and the hope in Athens is that he’ll continue to do exactly that for Georgia. Etienne finished second on Florida’s roster in rushing in back to back seasons, topping the 700-yard mark each year. Only making matters more impressive is the fact that he did it in a two-headed workhorse backfield alongside Montrell Johnson. Etienne averaged more yards per attempt than Johnson with 6.09 as a freshman and 5.75 as a sophomore. He also managed to add a dynamic ability as a pass catcher.

This past season, Etienne had what he described on the podcast as the best game of his career in an upset victory over Tennessee. Rushing for 172 yards on 23 attempts including a 62-yarder, Etienne helped lead the Gators to the win with a touchdown. Later in the season, he also had a three-touchdown day against LSU, recording 925 total yards (753 rushing, 172 receiving) and nine touchdowns on the season with double-digit touches in all but one game.

Asked what prompted the decision to transfer out of Gainesville, it was simple for Etienne: he wanted to compete for championships. It’s his belief that being in Athens gives him that opportunity.

“For me, the good outweighed the bad,” Etienne said. “I’ve been with Florida for two years, went through that whole process of rebuilding and felt like there was a lot of uncertainty, a lot of questions, a lot of unknown going on. I felt like I could stay here (Florida) and do what I’ve been doing for another year or two, or bet on myself and take a chance somewhere else.”

“I wanted to play in December too. That also played a big part in me transferring,” he added. “To sum it up, I could stay and RB2 on a losing team or go somewhere and possibly be RB1 and win a natty.”

Etienne shared that the decision for him came down to Georgia and Ohio State, but there was plenty of interest from others including Florida State and Oklahoma who contacted him early on. As for what’s stood out about UGA since his arrival at the start of the semester, Etienne admitted he’s already noticed a difference between Georgia and Florida. That “closeness” of the locker room – driven in large part by the get-to-know-you skull sessions – has made him feel at home through the transition.

Spring practice begins at Georgia next Tuesday, March 12th where the Etienne have his next opportunity to make an impression on teammates. The Bulldogs will conduct 15 sessions including three scrimmages, the final of which acts as the annual G-Day spring game on April 13th.