Gunner Stockton still a big part of Georgia quarterback picture
Georgia may have just added a quarterback out of the transfer portal, but that doesn’t mean that there’s not confidence from the Bulldogs in Gunner Stockton.
Having just wrapped up his redshirt freshman season in Athens, opportunities have been limited for the former top-150 prospect from the Class of 2022. He acted as UGA’s third-stringer this past season but, with Brock Vandagriff‘s decision to transfer to Kentucky before the Orange Bowl, was the Bulldog backup against Florida State. Of course Georgia jumped on the Seminoles early, opening the door for Stockton to see a significant number of snaps in the second half.
“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,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said after the 63-3 win just a couple of weeks ago. “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. 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’s praise for Stockton after the victory isn’t the first time he’s done so for the young quarterback. The head coach has expressed confidence in him several times. Back in the spring when the Bulldogs’ starting spot was up for grabs, Smart expected Stockton to compete for it. He did exactly that, and while he didn’t end up as the No. 1 or No. 2, the second season on campus in 2023 offered an opportunity for development that wasn’t there as often with four quarterbacks (Stetson Bennett, Carson Beck, Vandagriff and Stockton) on the roster the year before.
“I think Gunner has done a great job in learning the offense. I think that’s been his number one development so far,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “He’s gotten more reps this year with the offense where last year he was on basically the scout team. But now he’s getting reps, and I think every rep you get you see growth. But just being more comfortable in the offense is his biggest growth.”
Stockton’s teammates see it too. After not appearing in a game in 2022, he had a few opportunities to do so in 2023. He also took every day at practice as an opportunity to get better.
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“I like Gunner. He stays levelheaded,” offensive tackle Earnest Greene said about his teammate and fellow signee in the Class of 2022. “As a quarterback you’ve got to take over and lead, and I feel like he does well with that. I mean, I like Gunner, so I’m happy for him and to see that he’s getting better just like everybody else we got.”
“My roommate for the past two years, I love the kid,” added tight end Oscar Delp. “He’s going to be a great player here. I’m excited for him. He’s a dawg.”
Stockton completed three of five passes for 29 yards in Georgia’s season-opener against UT-Martin. He also saw action against Ball State and UAB, completing a pair of passes in the win over the Blazers for 19 yards. Then, in the Orange Bowl, Stockton threw two touchdowns, the first two of his career, on 6-of-10 passing for 96 yards. He also added 46 yards rushing on seven attempts against the Seminoles, totaling 73 yards (sack adjusted) on 10 carries this season.
Georgia will enter spring practice with Stockton, a redshirt sophomore in 2024, in the quarterback room alongside returning starter and Heisman Trophy favorite Carson Beck in his senior season, UNLV transfer and Mountain West Freshman of the Year Jayden Maiava (redshirt sophomore) and four-star true freshman Ryan Puglisi.
