Georgia football is in the middle of an intense quarterback competition this offseason. There are two QBs who have a chance at winning the starting job in Athens for the 2025 season, but recent comments from Kirby Smart indicate one player has a key advantage.
Veteran Gunner Stockton and redshirt freshman Ryan Puglisi are the two quarterbacks still battling for the starting job, but many fans believe Stockton is the heavy favorite to win the job. While that may be the case, Smart made it very clear in his appearance on WJOX 94.5 radio with Greg McElroy and Cole Cubelic on Wednesday that both players still have a shot to become the starter.
“For me, it’s about who plays the best, who gives us the best chance to win,” Smart shared via dawgnation.com.
Smart then specifically spoke about Puglisi and how he has noticed he has been improving a lot this offseason. However, Smart also pointed out the one thing that is holding Puglisi back in this competition.
“We’ve got a young kid coming up that has not had many real reps,” Smart discussed. “He didn’t go through spring last year. This was his first real spring in Puglisi. He’s coming up, getting better.”
Gunner Stockton's clear advantage in QB competition
So where does Stockton have an advantage over Puglisi? Experience. Stockton has multiple years of experience over Puglisi in Georgia's system in learning the offense while also having a little experience on the field this past season as well. This experience is something that even Smart can't ignore, and this final comment on this topic shows how much it matters to him.
“It’s what we believe is the process of growing kids up and getting them better. And he’s been in the program for a while,” Smart said about Stockton. “Now Puglisi’s in those same footsteps. And he gets a chance to compete.”
Smart obviously will not come out and say that this is Stockton's job to win or lose, because the last thing he wants to do is end this competition early which may cause both players can take their foot of the gas. Smart even says that Puglisis "gets a chance to compete" and win this job over Stockton. But the way that Smart talks about Stockton makes it clear that even he agrees with Georgia fans that Stockton is the favorite to win the job right now.