Sports Person of the Week - Trevor Etienne

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - Big games bring big moments, and none were bigger Friday than when Jennings running back Trevor Etienne stepped up to play quarterback for his team in the TDL Game of the Week against Iota. He had 18 carries for 243 yards and scored six touchdowns en route to the Bulldogs’ first win of the season.

“We needed this win we were hungry for it and then we had a lot of players that went down including our quarterback so that left a big hole we had to fill so coach asked me if I was ready,” said Etienne. “I stepped up and we got the job done.”

Quarterback Austin Ewing went down with an injury in the third quarter and it was at that moment when the trajectory of the game and team changed.

“Honestly, I never thought it would happen, but we were prepared,” said Etienne. “Thank God! It’s what we’ve been chasing. I knew we could do it. I just had to get the younger guys to believe in us and believe in the team, and I believe now after that victory we’re a whole other team. We have a whole new mindset going into this game and hopefully, we can turn this season around.”

The experience wasn’t unfamiliar to Etienne thanks to head coach Rusty Phelps making sure he got a lot of reps in practice. The switch to him was more mental than physical.

“Him getting in there kind of switching gears mentally to the quarterback position,” said Pehlps. “Really the main thing was just being able to get the snap and just run the offense from the quarterback position instead of the running back position.”

So far this season the four-star running back has lived up to the hype with 1,000 all-purpose yards and 12 scores. Etienne’s focus however isn’t on the numbers but instead, being an example for the next wave of Jennings Bulldogs.

“The younger kids,” Etienne said. “Believe it or not, there are young kids that’s looking up to not just me, but all of us on the team. If the younger kids see us doing the right thing that motivates them to do the right thing and that motivates me. So if they see me doing the wrong thing then they think that’s alright to do the wrong thing, so I just have to be the best me that I can be every day so the kids that are coming up after me can keep it going.”

As a lasting part of his legacy, Etienne wants to keep inspiring younger players to be better than him and to bring a chip back to Jennings.

“I just want everyone to know that I came out here and gave it my all and that whatever I’ve done you can do it if not do more so don’t try to be like me be better than me that’s what I tell the younger ones all the time,” Etienne added. “Just come out there and give it your all and hopefully get the Bulldogs a championship.”

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