Georgia coach Kirby Smart insists Trevor Etienne is a 'great kid'... despite RB becoming the LATEST Bulldogs player arrested on a driving-related charge - a year after crash that killed Devin Willock and a staffer

Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart praised running back Trevor Etienne in the aftermath of the player being arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.

Etienne was clocked going between 80-90mph in a 50mph zone and crossed over a double-yellow line to pass vehicles twice.

The running back, who transferred to Georgia from Florida, told officers who pulled him over that he was trying to get home and admitted to drinking three beers 'way earlier'. 

Smart opened his weekly news conference Tuesday by praising Etienne as a 'great kid, great person' and noting how much he enjoyed being coached and loved the competition.

'As we also know, kids sometimes don't make the best decisions,' Smart said. 'The older you get, sometimes the tougher the consequences are for your mistakes. 

'So, he's not going to let this mistake define him. He's embarrassed. He's upset. He knows he made a mistake. It's a teaching moment, and we hope he gets better from it.'

Etienne, the younger brother of Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, was driving a 2024 Audi RS7 and did not consent to a field sobriety test when stopped.

Officers said he had slurred speech, glossy eyes, and was swaying back and forth while standing on flat ground. When the arresting officer asked the running back for an ID, he handed the cop his car key.

In addition to DUI, Etienne was also charged with reckless driving, failure to maintain lane/improper driving on the road and affixing materials that reduce visibility of windows/windshield.

Not only does he face those criminal charges, but he faces disciplinary action from both the school and the athletic department. Policies dictate that Etienne will miss ten percent of Georgia's season - which means at least one game in their 12-game schedule - if he's found guilty of DUI.

Since the tragic January 2023 accident that claimed the lives of offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiter staffer Chandler LeCroy, Georgia football players have been arrested or cited for speeding or reckless driving at least 14 times.

The Bulldogs will open the 2024 season in Atlanta when they face Clemson on August 31.