Throughout a breakout freshman season in 2022, Florida Gators operating again Trevor Etienne usually discovered video clips ready for him on his pc or cellular phone.
They got here from his older brother, Jacksonville Jaguars operating again Travis Etienne, who watched every of Trevor’s carries intently.
“It is like, ‘Good run, however you probably did this flawed,’ ” Trevor mentioned. “Simply critiquing each little factor I do, and that is simply him serving to me.”
Trevor Etienne rushed for 719 yards on 118 carries with 6 touchdowns, displaying electrical pace and superior discipline imaginative and prescient. However following UF’s fourth spring follow on Saturday, Trevor mentioned he has room to develop and can rely on his older brother for much more recommendation.
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Travis Etienne starred collegiately in Clemson, the place he gained a nationwide championship in 2018 and rushed for 4,952 yards and 70 TDs earlier than being taken within the first spherical of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He rushed for 1,125 yards and 5 TDs final yr after sitting out his rookie yr with a foot harm that required surgical procedure.
Trevor mentioned the 2 do not see one another usually regardless of being solely 70 miles aside as a result of they’re each busy. However they discuss on the telephone every single day.
![Florida Gators running back Trevor Etienne (7) makes a cut while running drills Thursday. The University of Florida Gators held a Spring football practice at Sanders Practice Fields in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, March 9, 2023. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2023/03/09/NTGG/825b2d3b-c87b-4879-a198-4c087ccde868-GAI_UFFOOTBALLSPRING3_34.JPG?width=300&height=386&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
“Wanting as much as him I wished to do all the pieces he is carried out,” Trevor mentioned. “Simply observe in his footsteps. Like, wherever he went, I wished to go. So simply watching him, I thank him for doing the precise factor as a result of I really feel that is why I am right here as we speak.”
Trevor and Travis Etienne have small-town roots
Trevor and Travis grew up in Jennings, La., a small city close to the Gulf Coast between Lafayette and Lake Charles.
“Everybody from Jennings is hungry, man,” Trevor mentioned. “It is only a small city. I searched up the inhabitants like final week, it is like 9,000 folks. In order that’s identical to, you need to get out of the small city. It drives you.”
It drove the Etienne brothers, whose dad and mom labored laborious to boost them. Their father, Travis Etienne Sr., labored for a nicely service firm within the oil trade whereas their mom, Donnetta, labored as a nurse.
Travis and Trevor performed at Jennings Excessive below head coach Rusty Phelps. The 2 usually educated collectively. Trevor recalled a time when Travis first motivated him throughout a highschool sport.
“One sport, I used to be getting back from an harm, and I had damaged my fibula,” Trevor mentioned. “And like, they are saying I used to be operating tender however I assumed I used to be operating fairly laborious. He comes on the sideline and he is like, ‘Bro, you gonna begin taking part in or what?’ I am like, ‘What you imply?’ “
Trevor mentioned what he misses probably the most about residing on the Louisiana Gulf Coast is the meals.
“I have been going to Gainesville Seafood out right here,” he mentioned. “It is a spot, I get the fried rooster wings and shrimp. That is been form of good. However my household comes down and cooks and I simply freeze it, like no matter they’ve leftover, and I warmth that again up.”
Youthful Etienne rounding out his sport
Trevor, 5-foot-9, 207 kilos, mentioned he’d prefer to turn into a extra full operating again this season. That features enhancing in go safety and catching the ball out of the backfield. Final season, he had 9 catches for 66 yards and 1 TD.
One other objective is to turn into a extra vocal chief.
“Assist the workforce in a constructive manner,” Trevor mentioned. “Assist the workforce win championships. I really feel like me being a pacesetter and being vocal, simply convey everybody on board. As soon as we get that going, I really feel like this workforce may be unstoppable.”
Florida operating backs coach Jabbar Juluke mentioned Trevor ought to profit from his first full spring after enrolling in June as a real freshman final season.
“We needed to pace ball his studying curve as he went as a result of he was so proficient,” Juluke mentioned. “So, we needed to meet extra, we needed to have various things that he wanted to do, we had Zooms at dwelling, we did all these issues to attempt to make it simpler for him, as finest as we may.”
Trevor mentioned he would not thoughts splitting carries with Montrell Johnson Jr., once more for an additional season. A fellow Louisiana native from New Orleans, Johnson rushed for 841 yards and 10 TDs final season.
“It helped me lots,” Trevor mentioned. “He may inform I used to be nervous. He was identical to, ‘you gotta decelerate. You’re transferring too quick. You’re not being affected person.’ He was simply giving me these ideas. It helped.”
