This is the seventh installment of our annual winter series at UGASports.com, taking a look at Georgia’s complete depth chart heading into spring practice next month.
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Possible competition at right tackle?
Tate Ratledge back for another year
Earnest Greene III a star in the making
Plenty of experience at left guard
Today, we'll highlight running back.
Adding Trevor Etienne to the running back room was a no-brainer for Georgia coaches.
Let's tell it like it is.
With Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards moving on to the NFL, uncertainty about Branson Robinson's recovery from a ruptured patella tendon, and only unproven players returning, adding an experienced ball-carrier like Etienne was a big help.
Just ask running backs coach Dell McGee.
"I think it provides leadership," McGee told reporters at the Orange Bowl in Miami. "He's played in this league, he's been very productive. You all watch the tape, he's a very good player."
In two years at Florida, Etienne appeared in 24 games with one start, rushing 249 times for 1,472 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also caught 30 passes for 238 yards and one score, while returning 28 kicks for 671 yards.
"I’m definitely happy for him," Milton said in Miami. "Coming here as a running back, it’s a great opportunity to basically fill into a legacy, so I’m happy for him."
His presence makes Georgia's backfield one of the deepest in the SEC.
Counting Etienne, Georgia will have seven scholarship backs, joining a group that includes freshmen Chauncey Bowens (early enrollee), Dwight Phillips, and Nate Frazier, along with returnees Andrew Paul, Roderick Robinson, and Branson Robinson.
But questions remain.
The biggest is the health of Branson Robinson. Robinson missed the entire season with a ruptured patella tendon. Although Robinson has resumed running, it’s unclear how effective he will be, even assuming he’ll be cleared for the start of fall camp.
Also, Andrew Paul and Roderick Robinson have dealt with injuries of their own. Counting on Frazier, Bowens, and Phillips to be freshmen contributors right out of the gate could be asking a bit much.
In Etienne, the Bulldogs can plug in a back who understands the rigors of SEC play and has enjoyed individual success.
