Ryan Puglisi believes he is prepared to be Georgia's starting quarterback

Now that Carson Beck is officially soaking up the sun down in Miami, the quest to replace him as the next starting Georgia next quarterback is in full swing back in Athens. It’s a two-man race.

Gunner Stockton, last season’s backup who was thrown into the fire after Beck’s season-ending elbow injury in the SEC Championship game, made his first career start in Georgia’s College Football Playoff game against Notre Dame last December. Given that experience, Stockton is the clear, early frontrunner to be named the Bulldogs’ QB1 in 2025.

Of course, that’s hardly set in stone as Kirby Smart and the Georgia coaching staff has yet to officially name a starter, instead creating a sense of competition at the position. For redshirt freshman Ryan Puglisi, a consensus four-star 2024 signee according to the On3 Industry Ranking, it’s opened the door for him to imagine himself running out of the tunnel as the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback.

“I definitely think I can, I could (be UGA’s starting quarterback) right now, definitely,” Puglisi said Tuesday. “I think if you’re at the quarterback position and you don’t believe that you could play, you should probably do something else, because you need some confidence.”

Puglisi’s confidence aside, Stockton has maintained a solid grip on the majority of the first-team reps at QB throughout Spring practice, according to DawgsHQ’s Jeremy Johnson. But that hasn’t deterred Puglisi in the least, as the second-year player is embracing the opportunity to compete in Spring after missing much of it a year ago while dealing with a stress fracture in his leg.

“At Georgia, no matter who you are, no matter where you are on the depth chart, you’re always going to compete,” Puglisi said. “I think you’re competing with yourself everyday as well, just trying to be better than you were yesterday. Putting your head down and going to work every single day no matter where you are on the depth chart.”

Kirby Smart updates ongoing quarterback battle between Gunner Stockton, Ryan Puglisi

This offseason all eyes are on the Georgia Bulldogs quarterback room. That’s where head coach Kirby Smart is overseeing a quarterback battle to replace Carson Beck.

The two quarterbacks primarily competing for the starting job are Gunner Stockton and Ryan Puglisi. Smart recently shared an update on where those two quarterbacks stand, highlighting that Puglisi has been getting some reps with the ones. However, he also made it clear he thinks both are playing well.

“Both those guys are doing a great job,” Kirby Smart said. “I’m really pleased with where both of them are at. Ryan’s taking some reps with the ones. Gunner continues to grow and get better. I think both those guys are doing a great job.”

The last time Kirby Smart and Georgia were dealing with a quarterback battle like this one was the one that ended with Carson Beck being named the team’s starter. He wasn’t named the starting quarterback until August, around two weeks before the regular season started. So, there is nothing to say that a decision is imminent this offseason.

— On3’s Dan Morrison contributed to this report.