Latest update suggests best playmaker on Georgia Bulldogs may not play against Clemson Tigers in Week 1

The Georgia Bulldogs had a rough offseason with off-field shenanigans. Now, on the verge of taking on Clemson in Week 1, Kirby Smart might be down his best offensive star. The Bulldogs have classified new running back Trevor Etienne as questionable to play in Week 1.

Why is Etienne questionable, and will he play against Clemson? Let's look at everything we know right now.

Will Trevor Etienne Play Against Clemson?

Smart has evaded whether he plans on suspending Etienne for Week 1 since he pleaded down to two DUI charges in March, saying , “We’ll deal with all that when it comes time." Well, time is up, and Georgia has listed Etienne as questionable to play.

In March, Etienne agreed to a plea arrangement leading to the dismissal of his DUI charges. Instead, he admitted guilt to holding alcohol while underage, not staying in his lane, and a violation concerning window tinting.

Subsequently, Etienne was handed a 12-month probation term, a fine of $852, compulsory 40 hours of community service, and he was required to complete an alcohol risk reduction course.

Mid-July saw the dropping of Etienne’s DUI charges after he entered a no-contest plea for reckless driving, underage alcohol possession, and two other traffic-related charges. This agreement was reached during a session at the Athens-Clarke County Municipal Court.

Etienne’s lawyer, Kim Stephens, expressed contentment over the case's resolution, highlighting that the DUI charge lacked substantial evidence and was ultimately recognized as such by the solicitor’s office.

Etienne was initially taken into custody by the Athens-Clarke County police on March 24, facing allegations of driving under the influence, failing to stay within his driving lane, and the use of obstructive materials on his vehicle windows.

It has yet to be determined whether he will participate in Georgia’s first game of the season against Clemson on August 31. According to Georgia’s team policy, being convicted of DUI mandates a minimum suspension from one game, as wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint was suspended for one game for reckless driving in 2023.

Having moved from Florida, Trevor Etienne, the younger sibling of ex-Clemson standout and present Jacksonville Jaguars player Travis Etienne, is poised to be Georgia’s primary running back for the upcoming season. During his tenure at Florida, he managed to rack up 1,472 yards and score 14 touchdowns from 249 carries spread over two campaigns.