Having not started a game since his time at Thomasville High School, Gunner Stockton found himself as a starter in the CFB playoff quarterfinal game.
Stockton began last season as the backup to Carson Beck and looked set to finish in that role until things changed overnight.
Beck suffered a UCL injury during the SEC Championship Game and it thrust Stockton into the spotlight.
Stockton looked hungry for the chance as he pulled the team from a 6-3 deficit to a 22-19 victory over the Longhorns and earned his first college start against Notre Dame. And even though the Bulldogs fell short, Stockton had done enough to convince everyone that he will be Kirby Smart’s first choice in the new season.
With Beck moving to Miami, the door is wide open for Stockton to take his place as Georgia’s starter. On Tuesday, he answered questions from the media for the first time this spring and everything suggested that he is the presumed starter for the Bulldogs. “I play more of a leadership aspect. You’re leading every day, just that position, and being able to take command. Just lead the right way and be me,”he said. However, despite his experience at the program, which is a major reason why he is favored to be QB1, he faces competition from former four-star Ryan Puglisi. And this is where Smart faces a challenge. Does he opt for someone who understands the team’s offense better or does he go with the raw talent of Puglisi?
On March 25, Smart appeared on Josh Pate’s College Football Show, as the host shared a fan’s concern about the HC favoring “seniority over talent at quarterback.” Smart answered, “Talent at quarterback is a beautiful thing. You have to be able to go out and execute at that position. There’s a lot of positions that you can take talent over seniority. At quarterback, you’ve got to take the guy that gives you the best chance to win the game. That includes talent. That includes decision-making. Because that position can get you beat faster than it can win the game.”
