“During this interaction with Etienne, he continuously sways back and forth while standing on flat ground. His eyes were glossed over, and his speech was slurred“. These were the words of the officer who had arrested Trevor Etienne on DUI charges last year. The season hadn’t started, and Etienne’s career was looking to go downhill. But this was a guy showing incredible resilience. The running back not only owned up to his mistakes but rose from them and delivered something that has UGA locker rooms still buzzing. Etienne wasn’t just a player at UGA’s offense; he was coming to lead it.

For UGA fans, the game against Kentucky last September was a top-notch showcase where the running back showed his proficiency. Trevor Etienne not only rose on the occasion and quickly donned the role of a leader, but also delivered a game-winning touchdown drive. The Bulldogs won the game by a slender margin of 13-12, and Trevor Etienne announced his arrival as the leader of the RB room and the offense.

Throughout the season, we saw Trevor Etienne donning the leadership role as he attended key press briefings and was even praised by his teammate Jalon Walker for the incredible role he was playing on offense. The RB finished with 609 rushing yards last season despite being sidelined in several games due to a rib injury. But now comes the sad part. The running back has now departed for the NFL draft and has left a hole in the leadership room of Georgia. So, who will take up the mantle?

According to Cody Bellaire of On3, there may be a player who can ultimately become the leader of the offense. “I think the former five-star (Monroe Freeling) has to make an impact this year for Georgia… You’re bringing in new weapons at receiver, Trevor is gone….You have to be the guy that sets the tone for this offense, and you have to develop faster than maybe you want to or think. You should be given the time to, and it has to happen right now. Hopefully, last year was a baptism by fire, and he’s (Monroe Freeling) ready to go once the injury heals“.

Monroe Freeling was a five-star recruit (per On3) in the 2023 recruiting class. The youngster, standing at 6’7″ and 284 lbs, was ranked 5th in his offensive tackle position and 32nd nationally. Naturally, there was hype around the player as he was to see those snaps immediately. The 2023 season went majorly as a backup, and the 2024 season was marred by his shoulder injury. The player even struggled at times because of the issues, but will have gained the required experience now to step into that leadership role.

Freeling has already done a lot of work in the weight room as he has bulked up to 320 lbs. Moreover, his experience in high-stakes games like the Sugar Bowl last season will come in handy. All in all, the offensive tackle has everything lined up, given that he recovers well from his injury. The O line needs him, and the UGA offense under new QB Gunner Stockton needs him, too.

More woes for Kirby Smart in a recent verdict?

We all know the season Georgia had last year. They won the SEC championship but couldn’t move past a resilient Notre Dame team despite Trevor’s heroics. There were offensive line issues, receivers dropping passes, and Carson Beck being accused of not providing enough. Mike Bobo was partly to blame for the woes, but the situation ran deeper than it seemed. This year, the ghosts of Georgia’s past may come back to haunt them again.

“What you need is to be elite in the trenches, and yes, probably need to have a couple of stable running backs. You need to have playmakers on the outside, and you need to have guys at linebacker. And in the secondary, who can make plays, but at the end of the day, this is still a game in the trenches.” Brandon Adams of Dawg Post Podcast gave the verdict and issued some warnings to Kirby Smart.

The trenches will surely be important this season too. Because if the team fails to protect their QB, Gunner Stockton, and leaks sacks like it did last season. Then it may be all gloom for the team. The team currently has Monroe Freeling at left tackle, Micah Morris at left guard, and Drew Bobo at center. At right guard, Daniel Calhoun will take the responsibility, and at right tackle, Earnest Greene will man the position. The depth at left guard sure looks like a concern, as, apart from Jamal Meriweather, no one is claiming the spot.