Nick Saban assesses how Gunner Stockton starting at QB changes Georgia's offense

After serving as the backup for the regular season and the SEC Championship Game, Gunner Stockton is now in line to start for Georgia in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. This is due to an injury to Carson Beck, the typical starter for the Bulldogs. But the offense might not be that different.

That’s what Nick Saban thinks, at least, as he discussed the outlook for Georgia with Stockton under center on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday. With the Bulldogs slated to face Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl in the quarterfinals, Saban doesn’t expect to see an altered offense from what Georgia would run with Beck under center.

“If you watch the second half of their game against Texas in the SEC Championship Game, they changed nothing,” Saban said. “The first two plays the guy’s in there are passes. The first one incomplete, the second one a good throw and a completion. The one thing he gives them in addition is he is a little better runner. I can’t sit here and say he’s a better thrower, but they did not change their offensive strategy at all in the second half of the Texas game and they actually moved the ball better in the second half than they did in the first. I think they look like they showed confidence in the kid by the way they played. They weren’t trying to protect him in the second half of the game.”

Stockton finished the game 12-of-16 for 71 yards and an interception. He played most of the second half after Beck suffered an elbow injury on his throwing arm on the final play of the first half. Stockton also carried eight times for eight yards, with sacks included.

Stockton’s passing total actually exceeded what Beck put up in the first half prior to his injury. Saban himself is pretty bullish on what Stockton can do — and has been familiar with him for a while.

“Gunner Stockton’s from Raven County, which if you don’t know where that is, that’s up where they made ‘Deliverance,’ which is the old movie, which is where my lake house is,” Saban said. “So I’ve known this kid since he was eight years old. I’ve watched him all through high school. We recruited him here. He probably always wanted to go to Georgia.”