Georgia football was able to take down Ole Miss on Saturday 43-35 thanks to a career night from Gunner Stockton. Stockton finished the night completing 26 of 31 yards for 289 yards and four touchdowns to go along with 59 rushing yards and an additional touchdown on the ground.
This was the best performance of Stockton's career, but earlier this week no one would have guessed he had this in him. Kirby Smart shared after the game on Saturday that Stockton has been dealing with an oblique injury. This injury forced him to miss practice on Monday and Tuesday this week and it also led Smart to not want to utilize him in the run game.
Upon finding that out, Stockton went to Smart and convinced him in the best way possible that he has to let him run the ball.
"I mean, he literally couldn't practice. His oblique, the shots he took at Auburn, he's beat up," Smart shared via 247sports.com. "And we're like, okay, we won't use you in the quarterback run game. We'll get to you. 'Uh-huh, coach, I want to run it. I want to run it. My team needs to see me run it.' And he did."
Gunner Stockton force Kirby Smart to change his mind
Stockton's legs are a huge part of Georgia's offensive game plan. UGA utilizes him on the ground multiple times every game, and those plays keep opposing defense on their heels because they never know when Stockton is going to burn them on the ground or through the air.
But after Stockton's oblique injury emerged Smart said that he didn't want to use him in the run game this week. Upon learning that Stockton immediately went to Smart to convince him to let him run the ball like he normally does.
Stockton knows that his running ability brings a unique aspect to Georgia's offense, but he also pointed out that the team needs to see him run the ball. He knows that him running the ball gives the rest of the team a lot of energy and juice, so he knew how important it was for the rest of the team to see him run the ball still even if he is injured.
Thankfully Stockton won that debate because without his legs agianst Ole Miss the Bulldogs may have lost this game. But thankfully UGA was able to win this game and Georgia cemented themselves as a championship contender behind Stockton's career night against Ole Miss.