Gunner Stockton goes into G-Day with confidence as opportunity awaits

ATHENS, Ga. — It’s not often that the backup quarterback can go into a Saturday knowing he’s about to get an opportunity to showcase his skills, but that’s exactly what is ahead for Gunner Stockton this week. The Georgia redshirt sophomore is no stranger to the spring game having played in a pair already, however this time, he’s the Bulldogs’ second string signal caller and should see more chances to step foot on the field.

“I want to show everybody that I can play. That’s what I tried to do in the Orange Bowl. Thought I did. This is an opportunity to go play a game. That’s the way I look at it,” Stockton told reporters on Tuesday, just four days before UGA’s spring game and the conclusion of 15 practice sessions over the last month. “I’ve been working on being in the pocket and trying to develop. In the meeting room with Coach Bobo, he does a great job of teaching us and explaining stuff. It’s really helpful, and I’m trying to develop on that.”

Stockton says he’s had an up-and-down spring. It backs up the comments of his head coach from the week before when Kirby Smart said that Stockton made impressive plays in the team’s first scrimmage while also having his fair share of mistakes. That’s to be expected for a quarterback with just 55 career snaps under his belt. The good news for Stockton though: he understood what went wrong each time he messed up.

In Georgia’s last actual game, a 63-3 Orange Bowl victory over Florida State, Stockton was able to get on the field for the majority of the second half. With the Bulldogs ahead 42-3 at the break, Smart turned the offense over to the backup quarterback. He had gotten more reps in the lead up to the game with Brock Vandagriff having entered the transfer portal, and it was important to him that Stockton had a continued opportunity to develop.

“The only way you get better at that position is to go play meaningful minutes and get time, and I thought it was big for him to go in,” Smart said after the game. “I was really pleased. He’s a kid that didn’t get a lot of reps during the year in terms of game reps. Brock got most of those. I told the team at halftime, ‘We’re going to go out there and all the starters are going to play. Gunner is going in. Going to let him play.’ Called the game and let him go execute and play, because he deserves an opportunity to go play … I thought Mike (Bobo) called a good game for him and he made some really good decisions, and we think he can be a really good player, so I was very pleased with that.”

Smart reiterated this spring that those reps were important, even in a blowout, and Stockton agreed. Throwing for 96 yards and two touchdowns on 6-of-10 passing while also picking up 46 yards on the ground, Stockton has tried to carry confidence into the spring having had that opportunity just months ago.

“It was awesome. Leading up to it, I got a bunch of reps,” Stockton said. “This spring, heck, I’ve gotten a couple ones reps, a bunch of twos and a bunch of threes. It’s super valuable. I try to cherish it and make the most of it.”

“It’s been good. It started off really hot,” Stockton added about the spring. “I think the first padded practice I didn’t throw an incompletion. Just going from there, we’re trying to build. Everybody has their bad days, and I’ve had them. I’m just going to keep trying to build and finish it off the right way.”

Finishing off the spring the right way would mean a strong showing on Saturday. Then, it’s on to another year behind Carson Beck – something that Stockton is perfectly fine with. It offers him an opportunity to sit back and watch one of the nation’s best in action while trying to pick up a thing or two along the way.

“Carson’s a perfect example. He’s shown resilience and waited his turn. He’s worked hard and proven that he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the country,” Stockton said. “It’s just a privilege to take from him and learn from him … I think I’m always trying to learn from anybody in the room, and Carson especially. I’m just trying to, God forbid if something happens, just prove to everybody that I can step up and it can click like nothing else happened. That’s probably the biggest part.”

“I think just more reps and everything going along with it,” Stockton added about what’s in store for him as he continues to get more and more comfortable as his Georgia career continues. “Just all the walkthroughs and everything we do the whole year makes me more comfortable. Heck, that all goes into just every opportunity you get and maximizing it and making the most out of it.”

Kickoff time for G-Day is set for 1:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network+. In two career G-Days previously, Stockton has combined for 153 yards on 14 completions, adding a rushing touchdown to his resume in 2023.