Georgia is still in the middle of a quarterback competition this offseason as Gunner Stockton and Ryan Puglisi battle it out to earn the right to be Georgia's starter this fall. Kirby Smart has specifically stated that this competition is still ongoing, but he and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo may have spilled the beans and shared who their starting QB is during their press conferences on Wednesday.
Kirby Smart, Mike Bobo hint at Gunner Stockton being the starter
During their press conferences on Wednesday, both Smart and Bobo talked with the media and indirectly confirmed that Stockton is going to be their starting quarterback this fall.
The first example of this is when Smart was asked about how Georgia can be more efficient running the ball on offense. Smart began answering the question, but throughout his answer he began discussing how a good run game will help Stockton in the passing game.
"Not as many third and longs, right? More than five yards per rush, which is a lofty goal, if you rush the ball more than five yards per attempt, you'll be one of the top teams in the country. And that's a goal for us. That's what it looks like now," Smart shared via si.com. "How does it help Gunner? I think that's obvious. You know, he doesn't have to have the pressure of third, seven to 10 every down."
He didn't have to mention Stockton, but he called him out specifically on his own without mentioning Puglisi.
Bobo on the other hand handled this situation a little different during his press conference on Wednesday. Bobo was asked three different questions about Stockton when it comes to running the offense, and he never once stated that the starting quarterback job was still an ongoing competition. Instead he answered these questions like Stockton was the starter and Puglisi was no longer in the running.
An official announcement confirming that Stockton is the starter has not come yet, but it sounds like Smart, Bobo and the rest of the team are operating under the assumption that Stockton will be under center for Georgia this fall.