Former Clemson University star running back Travis Etienne Jr. may have run South Carolina and is now tearing defenses apart for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the NFL stud is originally from Louisiana. You could tell if you looked in his mini-fridge. The former ACC Player of the Year loves his hometown creole cuisine. His fridge is stuffed with jambalaya and Popeyes. His dad says he eats too much, but the ACC's All-Time Career Total Touchdowns Leader and three-time first-team ALL-SEC player has an appetite just right for the NFL. Even if his two Sugar Bowls in New Orleans left a bad taste in his mouth, Travis Etienne Jr. is still hungry for more. And thankfully, Travis Etienne's family is large enough to help him with the leftovers.
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Etienne Jr. comes from a religious family led by Etienne Sr. and his wife Donnetta. Junior has a younger brother named Trevor, who was recruited by Clemson, before heading to Florida, and two sisters who are known for basketball and track.
Travis Etienne Jr.'s upbringing made the Jaguars running back the swift National Football League star he is today, and he probably won't be the last football player from the Etienne clan to say so.
Who is Travis Etienne Jr.?
Alabama and Clemson have competed for College Football Playoff (CFP) dominance since 2015. Travis "Run-ETN" Etienne Jr. was Alabama's arch-nemesis ever since he joined Clemson in 2017.
He joined Coach Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers the same season they lost to Saban's Boys in the Sugar Bowl CFP semifinal. Run-ETN had his revenge in the National Championship Game the following season, earning Clemson their second CFP Championship in three years. Clemson football got "out-Tigerered" the following season, suffering a National Championship Game loss to the unstoppable Joe Burrow and LSU. Playing against the LSU Tigers held a special significance for Etienne, who is from nearby Baton Rouge.
Travis Etienne Jr.'s Parents
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The former All-American running back hails from an All-American family. The Etienne family lives in Jennings, LA, which is where Jr. was born and where Travis Etienne's parents settled down.
Travis Etienne Sr. works in the oil industry and Donnetta Etienne is a nurse. The family has a history in Jennings. Jennings High School is where Travis Jr. earned his Clemson scholarship. Jennings is a small town proud of its biggest talent. Of course, many in the town hoped Jr. would join the hometown favorite LSU Tigers. Even though Jr. earned his stripes with a different ambush, his family and friends in Jennings always have his back, even if he and his brother played for schools out of state.
Travis Etienne's Siblings
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Travis Etienne Jr. is one of four children. His sisters Danielle and Shanea played basketball and ran track for Jennings High School. His younger brother Trevor Etienne also played ball for Jennings High School before taking his talent to the Swamp in Gainesville. That's right. The Etienne's have not one, but two stellar college running backs in their family. Etienne is a big part of Billy Napier's plan to turn
Travis Etienne's NFL Career
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Travis Etienne Jr. was going to the 2021 NFL Draft as the No. 2 running back on many boards. ESPN's Todd McShay had him going to the New York Jets at No. 23 as the top RB in the first round. McShay predicted Run-ETN would be selected a pick ahead of rival Alabama running back Najee Harris. As it turns out, McShay wasn't too far off, but Crimson Tide fans will be glad to know that Harris was picked by the Steelers first. After the Steelers took Harris with the No. 24 pick int he first round, the Jaguars made their move, giving their new QB a familiar face in his backfield.
Etienne Jr. was the latest evidence of Clemson's recent NCAA dominance. The CFP powerhouse has produced the No. 1 QB (and overall pick) in Trevor Lawrence and the No. 1 running back with Etienne Jr.
After a season-ending injury kept him out of the 2021 season his first regular season touchdown came against the Jets in Week 7 of the 2022 season. While splitting carries with James Robinson became a thing of the past, Etienne has become the Jaguars workhorse, helping to lead them to a successful 2022 season.
It's impossible to tell which Etinee will have the better career. But I can tell you this - no matter what happens with Jr., his family will always welcome him back with open arms and a full plate.
