Travis Etienne: From Clemson Star to NFL Running Back

Travis Etienne Jr. is a professional American football running back who currently plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the National Football League (NFL). Born on January 26, 1999, Etienne's journey to the NFL was paved with remarkable achievements during his college career at Clemson University. Raised in Jennings, Louisiana, and with Louisiana Creole ancestry, Etienne first gained recognition at Jennings High School before transitioning to the national stage.

Early Years at Clemson (2017-2018)

Etienne joined Clemson in 2017 as a freshman. Initially, he was part of a backfield that included Tavien Feaster, Adam Choice, and C.J. Fuller. As a sophomore in 2018, Etienne became a key player for Clemson, contributing significantly to their national championship-winning season. That year, he rushed for 1,659 yards and led the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) with 24 rushing touchdowns. He also added two receiving touchdowns, bringing his total touchdowns from scrimmage to 26, which also led the FBS. Etienne had eight games where he rushed for over 100 yards. Following Clemson's victory in the 2018 ACC Championship Game against Pitt, Etienne was named the game's Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Dominance in Junior Year (2019)

Etienne started his junior year with a career-high 205 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the season's opening game. He surpassed this performance on November 2 against Wofford, rushing for 212 yards and two touchdowns on just nine attempts, averaging an impressive 23.6 yards per attempt. This achievement made him the first Clemson running back to record three career games with over 200 rushing yards. At the end of the regular season, Etienne was named ACC Player of the Year, ACC Offensive Player of the Year, and first-team All-ACC, all for the second consecutive year. He became the first Clemson player to win consecutive ACC Player of the Year awards since Steve Fuller in 1977-78. Etienne concluded his junior season with 1,614 rushing yards and an ACC-leading 19 rushing touchdowns. His 7.8 yards-per-carry average ranked second-highest in the FBS. In the Fiesta Bowl, he scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:49 remaining, running it in from 34 yards.

Senior Year and Record-Breaking Achievements (2020)

On October 31, 2020, in a game against Boston College, Etienne amassed a career-high 264 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. This performance marked his 42nd game with a touchdown, breaking Donnel Pumphrey's record for the most games with a touchdown in FBS history. He finished his college career having scored a touchdown in 46 games. Etienne also broke the ACC career rushing record, previously held by Ted Brown, with 4,952 career rushing yards. He set ACC career records for rushing touchdowns (70), total touchdowns (78), and total points scored (468).

Collegiate Career Overview

Throughout his Clemson career from 2017 to 2020, Travis Etienne Jr. established himself as one of the most accomplished players in the history of Clemson, the ACC, and college football. He participated in 55 games, starting in 42 of them, and recorded 1,852 career snaps. He rushed 686 times for 4,952 yards, scoring 70 rushing touchdowns. Additionally, he caught 102 passes for 1,155 yards and eight receiving touchdowns.

Etienne was part of a senior class that led Clemson to four ACC titles, four College Football Playoff appearances, two national championship appearances, and one national title. This class was also the first FBS senior class since 2010 to remain undefeated at home, achieving a 27-0 record at Death Valley.

He holds the NCAA FBS record for the most career games scoring a touchdown, with 46 out of his 55 career games, surpassing Donnel Pumphrey's previous record. Etienne is also the ACC career record-holder for rushing yards (4,952), total touchdowns (78), rushing touchdowns (70), and points (468). In 2020, he became the ACC's all-time leading rusher, surpassing Ted Brown's record from 1978.

Etienne is one of only 12 players in FBS history to have 4,000 career rushing yards and 1,000 career receiving yards. His 4,952 rushing yards are the second-most by any 1,000-yard career receiver in FBS history. He averaged 7.22 yards per carry throughout his career, which is a Clemson school record and ranks 11th among FBS players with at least 300 career rush attempts. Etienne's 468 career points tied him with Travis Prentice for the seventh-most in FBS history. He is also the sixth FBS player to rush for 70 career touchdowns, according to NCAA records.

Etienne earned several accolades during his college career, including being a three-time first-team All-America honoree, joining Clemson legends such as William Perry, Anthony Simmons, Sammy Watkins, and Christian Wilkins. He was a two-time ACC Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019, becoming the first running back to win the award in consecutive years since Mike Voight in 1975-76. Etienne is the first player in Clemson history with multiple 1,500-yard rushing seasons. He is also one of only 16 Power Five players since 2000 to achieve the 1,500-yard mark in multiple seasons, alongside players like AJ Dillon, Ameer Abdullah, and Christian McCaffrey.

In 2018, he set single-season school records in rushing yards (1,658), yards per carry (8.1), rushing touchdowns (24), total touchdowns (26), and points scored (156). Etienne is one of only two FBS players since 2000 to average at least 7.0 yards on 100+ carries in three different seasons. He recorded 6,894 all-purpose yards, which is the second-most in ACC history, trailing only C.J. Spiller. His 42 career starts are just one shy of the school record for a running back.

Transition to the NFL (2021-Present)

Etienne declared for the 2021 NFL Draft in January 2021 and was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 25th overall pick. This pick was obtained through a previous trade that sent Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams.

2021 Season

The Jaguars envisioned Etienne as a hybrid player. However, his rookie season was cut short due to a Lisfranc injury suffered in a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints. He underwent foot surgery and was placed on season-ending injured reserve.

2022 Season

In Week 7, Etienne recorded his first career touchdown against the New York Giants, adding 14 carries for 114 yards. Following a trade that sent James Robinson to the New York Jets, Etienne became the Jaguars' primary running back.

2023 Season

The Jaguars exercised the fifth-year option on Travis Etienne.

NFL Statistics

Travis Etienne Jr. continues to make his mark in the NFL, building upon his impressive college career.

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