Gunner Stockton could have a lot riding on his shoulders this fall if he wins Georgia’s starting quarterback job, and gave Bulldogs fans a sneak preview of what that might look like with his performance in the annual spring game on Saturday.
Stockton completed 17 of his 34 pass attempts for 309 yards and two touchdowns as the Red team defeated the Black team 34-17. And while it took a minute for things to get going, once Stockton settled in, he made some very impressive plays.
His best sequence of the day came in the third quarter when Stockton fired an absolute laser deep over the middle to Dillon Bell for a 49-yard gain. On the very next play, he calmly stepped back and dropped a beautiful ball right in the bucket to freshman Jeremy Bell for a 31-yard touchdown. And while he didn’t have a flawless day, those two plays encapsulate his sky-high potential as Georgia’s potential starter.
“I saw how resilient Gunner was today,” tight end Lawson Luckie said. “There were a couple times where Kirby [Smart] ripped into him, and he didn't even flinch. Came back and he scored the next drive. I love how tough Gunner is. He never gets discouraged, and that’s my favorite thing about him.”
The offense came out a little sloppy in the first half, with Stockton sailing balls downfield to receivers who were clearly still working out their timing with the quarterback. An end zone deep ball intended for Colbie Young was picked out of the sky by Daniel Harris. Throws to both Noah Thomas and Zachariah Branch went nowhere but the dirt. The performance very much looked like a spring game being played by a Georgia team that is still figuring out its identity.
“He took shots that he probably didn't have to, but he's done a really good job with his feet and his legs,” Smart said. “He made plays with his legs today. I thought [fellow quarterback Ryan Puglisi] did too. They're both good athletes that can extend plays”
The turning point for Stockton on Saturday came at the end of the first half when he ripped a pass deep down the field to Branch, who made an impressive catch for a 36-yard gain on 4th down to set up a one-yard Nate Frazier touchdown. From then on, he looked like a different quarterback.
“In the huddle today, he was really confident,” offensive tackle Earnest Greene III said. “Commanded the huddle, called the plays that needed to be called, how they needed to be called, made the right checks and everything like that. Really just playing confident.”
Stockton came out looking much better in the second half, with the aforementioned two-play touchdown drive being the standout. It’s hard to believe that this is already his fourth spring in Athens, but it definitely showed in the second half, with Stockton looking about as comfortable as any player out there.
Though his final statline wasn’t the prettiest, Stockton showed a lot of what makes coaches and teammates excited about him. He threw the deep ball with authority and looked like a natural working the pocket, even as Georgia’s pass rushers showed a lot of fight. His second touchdown of the day was a 23-yard strike to Sacovie White with just under two minutes remaining to ice the game.
While it remains to be seen who will be Georgia’s starter once fall comes around, as Puglisi also got plenty of run on Saturday, the way Stockton rebounded from a shaky start should help his case. Georgia will kick the 2025 season off for real on August 30 when it hosts Marshall.
