Georgia football players have confidence in quarterback Gunner Stockton.
There is a lot of pressure on Georgia Bulldogs starting quarterback Gunner Stockton. After Thursday’s diagnosis that Carson Beck will miss the Sugar Bowl, all eyes turn to Gunner Stockton to keep the Bulldogs afloat in the College Football Playoff.
Stockton’s Georgia Bulldogs teammate Jalon Walker, one of the heart-and-soul players on the team, has confidence in Stockton to deliver for Georgia. He expressed this on “The Paul Finebaum Show” on Thursday.
“He’s played big time football because he’s seen it everyday,” Walker said. “He does a great job preparing himself mentally and physically. Including for what he has to do for the game. I think he’ll be fine.”
He sent a final message to Georgia fans who doubt Stockton becoming a leader for the Bulldogs if they lose.
“I feel like our team will have Gunner’s back, no matter what happens,” Walker declared.
Stockton’s insane high-school reel and pedigree (he was the state’s 11th prospect overall) earned him an offer from Georgia in 2021, which led to this point.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck’s injury creates a similar situation to Jake Fromm’s first career start against Notre Dame
With Georgia football quarterback Carson Beck’s injury, it looks like Gunner Stockton will be the Bulldogs’ starter
Georgia’s current quarterback situation reminds everyone of the quarterback situation in 2017 when starter Jacob Eason went down with a knee sprain. Freshman quarterback Jake Fromm stepped into the starter role for the first time in his career in a huge road game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Entering this game, Fromm had any minimal meaningful playing time in the college football. Fromm helped the Bulldogs seal the 20-19 win over the Fighting Irish going 16 of 29 for 141 yards and one touchdown to win his starting debut. That win helped ignite a season of destiny and UGA went all the way up to the national championship game in Fromm’s freshman campaign.
Stockton and Fromm are in similar situations where they both never had starting experience and facing a tough opponent in Notre Dame.
Fortunately, Stockton has been apart the program for three years, so he is not going into the game with trying to learn the playbook. Instead, he is going to have a few new wrinkles into the offense, but nothing that will be out of the ordinary for the redshirt sophomore outside of the fact that it is his first career start.
Georgia QB Carson Beck injury status update ahead of College Football Playoff quarterfinal
Carson Beck will miss Georgia’s Sugar Bowl matchup in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. On3’s Pete Nakos first reported via social media that Beck’s ulnar collateral ligament (elbow) injury will sideline him for the Sugar Bowl against either Notre Dame or Indiana.
Beck sustained the injury on the final play of the first half during the SEC championship game. The Jacksonville native, who considered entering the NFL draft last year but chose to return for one more season, completed 64.7% of his passes in 2025, throwing for 3,485 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also added a rushing touchdown.
The injury occurred as Beck attempted a Hail Mary with Georgia trailing 6-3 in the SEC championship. While trying to bye time, he was hit by a Texas pass rusher as he threw, causing his arm to twist awkwardly. Beck stayed on the ground for a couple of minutes before walking off the field under his own power, his right arm hanging at his side. He returned to the sideline in the second half with ice on his elbow and shoulder.
In overtime, Texas scored a field goal on its opening possession. On Georgia’s turn, an eight-yard Gunner Stockton run set the Bulldogs up at the Texas four-yard line, but Stockton had to come out after losing his helmet on the play. Beck returned for a single snap to hand the ball off to Trevor Etienne, who scored the game-winning touchdown. That final handoff may have marked the last play of Beck’s 2024 season and secured the SEC championship for Georgia.
After the SEC championship, Beck and UGA have been searching for second opinions on his injury. During the time away, Gunner Stockton has been taking the first team reps. In the six drives, Stockton was the quarterback he helped lead the Bulldogs on four scoring drives.
Why former Georgia Bulldogs QB Aaron Murray ranks Gunner Stockton last among College Football Playoff quarterbacks
The College Football Playoff is approaching and former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray ranked likely starter Gunner Stockton last among all of starting quarterbacks in the playoff.
Dillon Gabriel of Oregon is ranked No. 1 on Murray’s list. Penn State’s Drew Allar checks in at No. 2 and Texas’s Quinn Ewers is ranked No. 5.
With Stockton coming off a very impactful half of football to secure a SEC Championship it caused a discourse amongst Bulldog fans on why Stockton is last on the rankings.
“Yes, we have seen maybe one full game combined this entire season for him. Let’s see what the young man can do with his first start,” Murray said while explaining his decision on the Stockton ranking via social media.
Georgia does not play for another two weeks, so this is excellent practice time to for Stockton to prepare for his first career start. Murray’s rankings are a little extra motivation for the quarterback that is expected to start in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.
Three Georgia Bulldogs players who will benefit from three weeks of postseason practice
Georgia football coach Kirby Smart’s approach to this extended period of time off was very clear after the SEC championship win.
“You know, we commit 75, 80% to ourselves and growth and development and trying to get our team ready and backups ready,” Smart on what Georgia will be doing until the Sugar Bowl.
With school over and all attention on football, postseason practices function like a mini fall camp for Georgia players. It provides a chance to spend extensive time with teammates and coaches while focusing solely on development. This period presents a key opportunity for players across Georgia’s roster to grow and improve.
What three Georgia Bulldogs have the most to gain from bowl practices?
Running Back Trevor Etienne
Trevor Etienne has been dealing with injuries all season, but when he is 100% or close to it, then he is the focal point of the UGA offense. In the SEC championship game, Etienne’s status was uncertain due to a rib injury, but he decided to give it a go. He gained 122 total yards and two touchdowns to help secure the SEC title over Texas.
Now with three weeks of rest, we can finally see Etienne return to the most healthy version of himself. Etienne’s workload will be even larger with Gunner Stockton at quarterback. Etienne is playing for a lot this postseason with a chance to win a national championship and boost his NFL draft status.
Defensive Back Daniel Harris
Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Georgia’s second cornerback position opposite Daylen Everette has been a revolving door this season. Julian Humphrey appeared to secure the role midway through the season. However, Harris regained momentum following a standout stretch of practices, particularly during the bye week, as noted by Smart.
Harris officially took over the spot after starting against UMass, a move that came after Humphrey was pulled during the opening drive against Tennessee due to a costly pass interference penalty. Humphrey did not see the field against Georgia Tech and has committed to transferring. The upcoming preparation for the College Football Playoff will provide Daniel Harris valuable time to further develop and solidify his understanding of the role.
Quarterback Gunner Stockton
Online Athens
We saw a glimpse of what the Georgia offense is capable of with Stockton at quarterback in the SEC championship game. The redshirt sophomore, who guided Georgia on its first touchdown drive of the game, and finished 12-for-16 for 71 yards and one interception. UGA will use Stockton’s mobility as much as it can.
Three weeks will help prepare Stockton for his first career Georgia start. Georgia will have to play complementary football and can’t rely on miracle comebacks like it did at times under Carson Beck.
Former ESPN analyst David Pollack gives his take on how Georgia will perform differently with Gunner Stockton at QB.
Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck was injured in the first half of the SEC championship game, giving Gunner Stockton the keys to the Georgia offense. Stockton performed admirably, reawakening the UGA offense and leading the Bulldogs to a 22-19 overtime win.
Given Beck’s injury severity, Stockton could start a playoff game or multiple games. Former ESPN analyst David Pollack believes that might be beneficial for Georgia due to the energy Stockton brought to Georgia.
“I am not saying Carson Beck is not good … but Carson Beck is absolutely a flatliner,” Pollack said in a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “He is not emotional. … When my quarterback gets juiced up, I love it. I rally behind it. When Gunner runs to the right on his first drive and runs a guy over instead of running out of bounds and the sideline is jumping up and down like crazy, it infuses your team.”
Beck is never the kind of person who emotionally fluctuates, unlike Kirby Smart, but Stockton was immediately fired up when he entered the game against Texas. That kind of energy can be infectious to the team and the fans.
Beck has done admirable work to lead the Bulldogs to the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff and an 11-2 record, but it cannot be denied the effect Stockton’s animated demeanor had on this game.
The first-round bye gives Beck more time to heal, but if Beck is not healthy enough for the Sugar Bowl, Pollack suggests Georgia will be just fine with Stockton under center.
Gunner Stockton brings something DIFFERENT to Georgia’s offense.
That is no disrespect to Carson Beck. Feel like that needs to be put in print so no one gets it twisted here. pic.twitter.com/7MFtF9pfxP
Georgia football will get a visit from Alabama Crimson Tide transfer QB
The Georgia Bulldogs might be getting a player from an SEC rival to transfer to UGA. Alabama transfer quarterback Dylan Lonergan will officially visit Georgia this week, according to Max Olson of ESPN.
Lonergan was a four-star recruit from Snellville, Georgia. He was ranked as the No. 13 quarterback in the class of 2023 and the Bulldogs recruited him, but he chose the Crimson Tide.
In 2024 with the Crimson Tide, he threw for 23 yards on five completions and ran for sixteen yards. However, with Alabama seemingly going with five-star Ty Thompson to replace Jalen Milroe, Lonergan decided to transfer.
He announced his decision after Alabama missed the College Football Playoff. Lonergan will has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
In his high school career, Lonergan passed for 7,851 yards, 71 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions while completing 63 percent of his pass attempts.
Georgia QB Gunner Stockton had more high school rushing TDs than Nick Chubb and the most passing TDs in Georgia history
Georgia Bulldogs redshirt sophomore quarterback Gunner Stockton will be UGA’s starter moving forward with Carson Beck out. Stockton has just 51 career passing attempts in college, but he has a ton of experience from his time at Rabun County High School.
In fact, Stockton is one of the most prolific passers in Georgia high school history. Stockton has the most passing touchdowns (177) of any quarterback in Georgia high school history. Stockton is third all-time in passing with 13,652 passing yards. He trails only Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo and former Clemson star Trevor Lawrence.
The Rabun County standout passed for over 400 yards five times in his high school career. He passed for an insane 55 touchdowns during his senior season, which is the second-most (tied) in Georgia high school history.
Stockton threw six touchdown passes in a game nine times in his high school career. Stockton, who was a four-year starter, threw at least 34 passing touchdowns in all four seasons with Rabun County.
Stockton is known as a dual-threat player. Only 25 players have more career rushing touchdowns in Georgia high school history than Stockton’s 77 rushing touchdowns.
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound quarterback showed toughness, accuracy and strong arm during his high school career.
Gunner Stockton high school highlights (senior year)
Stockton is expected to make his first career start in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 at 8:45 p.m. ET.
How will the Georgia Bulldogs’ offense perform, prepare with quarterback Gunner Stockton
Georgia Bulldogs starting quarterback Carson Beck status remains uncertain for the Sugar Bowl. As a result, Georgia is preparing to start Gunner Stockton until further notice.
We saw a glimpse of what the Georgia offense is capable of with Stockton at quarterback in the SEC championship. The redshirt sophomore, who guided Georgia on its first touchdown drive of the game, and finished 12-for-16 for 71 yards and one interception. On Stockton’s first drive he provided a spark to the running game as running back Trevor Etienne scored UGA’s first touchdown of the game.
Georgia’s second half play calling had more designed runs and play action rollout passes for Stockton opposed to Beck. Georgia’s offense may look more like the one Stetson Bennett led in 2021, when the Bulldogs won the national championship. UGA will use Stockton’s mobility as much as it can.
Two more similar offenses that UGA can take things away from are Clemson with Cade Klubnik and Georgia Tech with Haynes King. The success that both offenses have could be added into Georgia’s offense now. What makes the offense so effective that they are balanced and use a capable runner at quarterback.
Georgia has extended time to prepare for the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. UGA will play the winner of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish versus Indiana Hoosiers game. This break will be time for the offense to prepare Gunner Stockton to start.
“You know, we commit 75, 80% to ourselves and growth and development and trying to get our team ready and backups ready,” said head coach Kirby Smart on what Georgia will be doing until the Sugar Bowl.
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The Georgia offense will be creating new wrinkles and everyone involved will work to mold a more confident version of Gunner Stockton. Georgia is focusing on being the best possible version it can be.
The Bulldogs could be looking for a quarterback addition via the transfer portal. Gunner Stockton will have a chance to audition for UGA’s starting role in the College Football Playoff, but he has zero career starts. We would not be surprised if Georgia looks for a more experienced option for the 2025 season.
Also, it should be noted that Carson Beck could return for the 2025 season. Before his injury, he was widely projected to enter the 2025 NFL draft.
Here are five quarterbacks Georgia could target:
Jackson Arnold
Nov. 30, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) passes over the LSU Tigers line during the first quarter at Tiger Stadium. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Arnold entered the transfer portal after a rough passing season at Oklahoma. On3 predicted him to land with the Mississippi State Bulldogs, but the recruiting site also mentioned Georgia and Alabama as probable destinations. Arnold would be behind one of the best offensive lines in the country, unlike in Oklahoma, where the offensive line was porous as the result of injuries.
The former five-star threw for 1,289 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions, but he was sacked 34 times and had a QBR of just 48.0.
Conner Weigman
Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Georgia could target another SEC quarterback this year. Conner Weigman had a great deal of hype at Texas A&M coming into the year, but he was underwhelming with the Aggies, finishing with just 819 yards, three touchdowns, five interceptions and a 52.1 QBR.
The former five-star is a sophomore, so if Weigman goes to the Bulldogs, he could be a developmental project for Kirby Smart and Mike Bobo.
Kaidon Salter
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Salter has the best stats of any of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal, but he doesn’t have much experience against Power Four opponents. In Liberty’s 2023 bowl matchup against Oregon, he threw for 126 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 24 attempts.
Still, Salter has had a spectacular statistical career with Liberty, with 5,887 yards, 56 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions in his four years with Liberty. He also has dual threat ability, with 2,013 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground.
Salter originally signed on with Tennessee in 2021, but Tennessee dismissed him from the program.
Miller Moss
Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Moss could be Georgia’s most surefire choice out of the transfer quarterbacks. Unlike Arnold and Weigman, who have struggled, Moss played decently with USC.
In 2024, he threw for 2,555 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions in his first year as a starter. He was benched in November for Jayden Maiava, but it’s more likely that it was due to Lincoln Riley trying to light a spark than Moss’s actual play.
There are a number of teams chasing Moss, including Michigan and Auburn, but Moss would fit well in Georgia’s system.