Georgia football fans have talked about Gunner Stockton ever since the conclusion of the SEC Championship game this past season. An unforeseen injury to Carson Beck forced Stockton into the QB1 spot last season, and now with Beck transferring to Miami, the spot is solely Stockton's to take.
Experts and fans alike have speculated if this will be a good thing for Georgia. They will bring up the obvious of Stockton, but there are some things not brought to national coverage that are worth noting about the redshirt junior.
Stockton can run better than people think
College football fans know that Stockton is a dual threat option. However, fans don't give him enough credit for just how mobile he is.
Stockton ran for 77 career touchdowns in high school. Not only that, but coming into Georgia he was the No. 1 dual threat prospect (number seven overall QB) according to 247sports. He has more talent at running the ball than people give him credit for and is something defense will have to account for all season long.
Never missed a beat when called upon
It isn't easy to get thrusted into a starting role, nevertheless when that time comes in the season's do-or-die moments. However, Stockton did that almost perfectly. No one cannot expect him to go out and be a Heisman caliber player right away, but he made minimal mistakes and did his job.
It is not like Georgia strayed away from passing against Texas and Notre Dame either. In fact, he threw the ball 32 times against Notre Dame and did not throw an interception. In the Orange Bowl in 2023, he had 96 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 10 pass attempts. He hasn't been called on often, but when he has, Stockton never looked back. With his history of being QB1 at Georgia, fans shouldn't be worried if he can handle the job.
Stockton makes everyone around him better
Don't forget the fact that Georgia did not have the lead when Beck went down in the first half against Texas. In fact, the Bulldogs only scored three points until Stockton stepped in. It was after Beck's injury that the team scored 19 more points to win the SEC.
Fans can recall how Stetson Bennett had this same type of effect in previous seasons. Bennett's mobility made defenses account for his legs, which then opened up receivers down field. Not only that, but edge rushers had to respect the option play which opened gaps for running backs to go through.
Stockton also took hits, stood in the pocket, and never backed down despite the circumstances. That type of energy and leadership is what it takes to lead a team like the Bulldogs to a National Championship.