Georgia head coach Kirby Smart opened up his press conference on Tuesday addressing Trevor Etienne's DUI arrest.
"Before we get to football, there's a lot of interest around the Trevor Etienne situation, Smart said. "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.
“The older you get sometimes the tougher the consequences are for your mistakes. 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.”
Smart added that in addition to the university's discipline process, Etienne with face "in-house" discipline.
"Disappointed in his decision-making, but he is a good kid," Smart said.
According to the official police report, Etienne was pulled over outside the Retreat on Milledge apartments complex early Sunday morning for speeding and crossing over a double yellow median on Will Hunter Road.
Etienne, 19, ended up being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane/improper driving on road, and affixing materials that reduce the visibility of windows/windshield.
His bond was posted with a total bond amount of $1,883.
Just a week ago Etienne received a glowing review from Smart on his overall leadership and how well he has been handling the transition from Florida to Georgia's offense.
"I think getting comfortable in the offense, there's nuances. I've met with him about difference in the way we do things and the way they do things offensively that he's picking up on," Smart said. "He's very bright. Not going to be a problem for him. There's been some mistakes and things, but nothing that can't be corrected. In terms of his effort and practice habits, we've encouraged him to give great effort, run the ball past the last defender. He's a sponge. He's absorbed that. He's enjoyed getting pushed. He's enjoying the competition of that room because there's guys he's competing with in that room. I'm very pleased with where he is and hope that he'll continue the trajectory he's on."
The former Gators running back is projected to start for the Bulldogs this fall.
But there's a chance this mistake could keep him from being available when Georgia faces Clemson in Week 1 of the 2024 college football season.
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