Moeller: Etienne Finally Reaching His Long-Awaited Potential
By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire
(Photo Courtesy 49ers / Dylan Goodman
The Jaguars’ 3-1 start can mainly be attributed to their
defense that has a league-leading 12 turnovers this season.
Under new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, the Jags’
defense has found new life. Through their first four games, there have been
plenty of contributors. Linebacker Devin Lloyd, who is off to a great start,
had two picks against the 49ers last Sunday.
On offense, though, there is one player who has outshined the
others. And it is not Trevor Lawrence, whose game picked up after a slow start
in his first three.
Travis Etienne.
And he is the path to finally fulfill his potential.
The 26-year-old tailback is having a banner year as the
third-leading rusher in the game with 394 yards and an average of 98.5 per game.
His 48-yard touchdown scamper against San Francisco was a key to victory and
part of his 124-yard afternoon. Etienne has averaged 6.1 yards on his 65
carries.
Last season, Etienne played in 15 games and managed 558 yards
on 150 carries with a pair of scores. He averaged 3.7 yards a carry.
A first-round pick (25th overall) in 2021, Etienne
missed his entire rookie season with a lisfranc injury, but the Jags still felt
they had their backfield set with the Clemson reunited Lawrence and Etienne,
who is the school’s all-time leading rusher (4,952).
Etienne returned in 2022, and he looked like he back the Jaguars anticipated. He rushed for 1,125 yards on 2220 yards for a 5.1 average per carry. He ran for a career-best 165 yards against Denver on Oct. 22, 2022.
The following season, he remained on track with 1,008 yards on
267 carries, but his carry average dipped to a pedestrian 3.8.
The rumblings began if Etienne would be a successful 20-plus
carry back, and the Jags shifted their focus to a downhill runner. There were
plenty of signs that Etienne would have a new home soon, and he reportedly was
shopped around.
Last year, the attention turned to Tank Bigsby, who had been
ticketed to be their next lead back. Etienne’s role would apparently be reduced
to a scatback or another receiver.
Enter new head coach Liam Coen and a new gateway for Etienne.
Bigsby was shipped out, and Etienne was back in the lead role.
Over five years, Etienne’s life has come full circle. He is now a viable running
back again.
Coen has liked what he has seen, and he is primarily
responsible for it.
“Right now, he’s got a really good feel for what we’re trying to
do in the run game, I think,” said Coen recently. “Whether it’s in the
zone or in the gap stuff, I just think Travis has a really good feel for what
we’re trying to do. He’s pressing the line of scrimmage really well and able to
go find creases. … very pleased with Travis right now and the way that those
guys are running.”
If he keeps his current pace, Etienne is on rack for nearly
1,700 yards on roughly 272 carries.
That’s the kind of production the Jaguars expected from their one-time,
first-round pick.
It’s also the kind of production that can help a team to a
division title and a deep postseason.
