At this stage of the season, Georgia Bulldogs fans should be thanking their lucky stars when it comes to their quarterback situation. Gunner Stockton has looked the part in his first season as the starter. He has turned the ball over once in five starts, helping Georgia navigate a challenging schedule to 4-1 with only a three-point loss at home. Even his backup Ryan Puglisi has shown some signs of promise.
When Carson Beck's Georgia career ended unexpectedly on a gruesome elbow injury vs. Texas in last year's SEC Championship, who could have foreseen him coming back to school for a sixth year, but transferring to Miami? Again, everyone thought he was turning pro, but the situation had changed on him. He made the best decision for himself heading to Miami. He was always going to have success.
So with Stockton running point in Athens, people questioned if he would even be a top-half quarterback in the SEC? While everyone was so busy falling head over heels for the idea of Arch Manning, they failed to realize the most important part about his game. He cannot really play. Up to this point, Manning is more of a last name than a quarterback, one who picked Texas over Georgia.
Needless to say, Georgia appears to have dodged a bullet by not landing Manning out of high school.
Georgia is in a far better spot with Gunner Stockton over Arch Manning
Let's think back to what transpired last year. Stockton really only played in relief of Beck once the Georgia starter got hurt. He helped lead the team to a victory over Texas in the SEC Championship before getting all he could handle vs. Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. Stockton was not ready for the bright lights in that game, but he learned from that experience and grew for Georgia for this season.
For Texas, everyone in Austin had grown tired of Quinn Ewers at quarterback. They totally believed that Manning was the better option backing him up. Head coach Steve Sarkisian would play Manning every so often, but Ewers remained his starter for a reason. Perhaps he knew what we all now know? Going up against tomato cans, Manning is fantastic. Taking on Power Four teams is a different story.
So in a way, Georgia should be thanking its lucky stars that Manning did not sign here, nor did Dylan Raiola a year later. Right now, Stockton appears to be a man of the people, with Puglisi looking like he is chomping at the bit to start. Stockton has one more year of eligibility after this. Maybe Puglisi sticks around? We shall see. This all comes back to the worst part of it all when it comes to Texas...
This may be painful to admit, but Texas cannot bench Manning. To do that would send shockwaves throughout the sport. Frankly, maybe the sport of football needs it? His famous uncles live to suck the oxygen out of every room they enter. It is over-saturation to the point of it almost being hysterical. In the end, they played a part in putting Manning atop this impossible pedestal. Should we feel bad?
To be quite frank, we might feel bad for Sarkisian the most. He has to navigate this dog and pony show for the next year or so. We love to build up stars only to tear them down. If Manning wanted his best chance at success, he should have signed with an ACC school like Duke, SMU or Virginia. Being 3-2 on the season, but 0-2 vs. Power Four teams is not the standard Texas has clawed its way back to.
In the end, Georgia is blessed to have a quarterback who grew up wanting to wear the Georgia G on his helmet and proudly represent the Red and Black. Stockton may never get the respect he shows as a college quarterback, but he will always give his team a chance to win. He is getting better with every start, while Manning seems to have hit a wall when it comes to his quarterback development.
A lot can change between now and the end of the year, but Georgia is in the better spot over Texas.