Georgia's fall camp has made Gunner Stockton more indispensable than ever

While Gunner Stockton is firmly in place as Georgia's starting quarterback, the lack of anyone separating themselves from the pack in the backup role means Stockton's presence is even more vital for the Bulldogs.

For years, Kirby Smart has operated under the luxury of having multiple 4-and 5-star quarterbacks at his disposal. No matter who was starting, there was someone else lurking behind them, ready to step in should injury or lack of production become an issue.

Jacob Eason, Jake Fromm, JT Daniels, and Carson Beck all had a more than adequate stable of backups on the sidelines, and Smart was also blessed with Stetson Bennett -- arguably the best walk-on in college football history.

But that's not the case this year. Behind starter Gunner Stockton is a group of capable, but not yet buzzworthy, backups -- with Ryan Puglisi and Ryan Montgomery looking like the two most likely heirs apparent.

Georgia apparently hoped somebody would step up behind Gunner Stockton during fall camp, but that hasn't happened. Ryan Puglisi entered camp as the presumed No. 2, and Ryan Montgomery has also had positive moments, but neither of them has staked their claim as the "next man up".

This puts enormous pressure on Stockton -- not necessarily to perform well (which is likely), but to stay healthy this season.

Gunner Stockton may have to play a less risky style of QB in 2026

Stockton is known for his toughness and for sometimes playing with reckless abandon when it comes to his own body. He's taken some hits that TV viewers felt jarring their own teeth.

It was great seeing Gunner pop right back up after those crushing blows, but can he afford to take chances like that with the questions Georgia has at backup?

The fear of losing a starting quarterback to injury looms over every program, but when you're considered a national title contender and you don't necessarily have the stacked depth at QB that has been the norm, it creates an even bigger concern.

Gunner's wild-man style of play may need to be dialed back a bit, which means that offensive coordinator Mike Bobo will need to be sure that there is a solid scheme in place that will prevent Stockton from needing to take unnecessary risks.

Stockton's legs are a huge part of his game, and that's not a dimension Georgia wants to lose. It will be on Bobo to have packages in place with moving pockets and rollouts that keep him adequately protected, rather than just relying on his ability to improvise when things break down.

With Georgia's midseason schedule which includes Oklahoma, a resurgent Vanderbilt team, Alabama, and a new-look Auburn, having a healthy Gunner Stockton will be paramount for the Bulldogs.

We could still see something special from Puglisi or Montgomery

While neither Puglisi nor Montgomery have really established themselves as the guy at QB2, both of them did have some nice moments, and playing against what looks to be a potentially dominant Georgia defense during the camp and scrimmages could also play into why they had some struggles.

Just like nobody expected Stetson Bennett to be the all-time Georgia great he turned out to be, we could see something just as special coming from either of these quarterbacks. Puglisi and Montgomery were both 4-star prospects, and both were recruited to Georgia for a reason.

Sometimes players like these simply need that opportunity, that chance to shine when it doesn't matter in the big picture, but it does for them. We might see play that more clearly indicates what either of these young men is capable of if they take the field for some live snaps, even in mop-up duty or in early-season games against Tennessee State and Western Kentucky.

Georgia having an unsettled backup quarterback situation is new territory for Kirby Smart, so the order of business needs to be, first, protect Gunner Stockton at all costs, and second, figure out ways to see what Puglisi and Montgomery can do.

Gunner Stockton was always going to be a key to Georgia's success this season, but it's looking like he might also be irreplacable for the time being.

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