Remember when so many people doubted Gunner Stockton this offseason? Those critics thankfully have nothing left to say because Stockton has proven them all wrong this season.
Stockton had a somewhat quiet game in Georgia's win over Mississippi State on Saturday, but his quiet games have turned into extremely impressive performances. Stockton completed 18 of 29 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday while also running for an additional 31 yards as well. He helped orchestrate a nearly perfect showing from Georgia's offense, and his play is a big reason why Mississippi State never had a chance in this game.
With the regular season quickly coming to an end, college football fans and experts are beginning to talk about postseason awards like the Heisman Trophy in great detail. Stockton is firmly in that conversation, but Kirby Smart isn't ready to have that conversation yet.
"The last thing I'm worried about is the Heisman, and I think the last thing he's worried about is the Heisman," Smart said via 247sports.com. "Gunner's been awesome for our team. He's a selfless player. He's a winner. He cares about his team. He makes great decisions. I think that's a decision for somebody else. I don't get into, I've never come out and said something like that with our guys. He's certainly a great player with great players around him."
Kirby Smart isn't buying into the Gunner Stockton Heisman talk
Smart shared the he isn't ready to discuss Stockton's Heisman Trophy candidacy just yet, but that's because it doesn't really matter to him. And he knows that it doesn't matter to Stockton either.
At the end of the day they both only care about winning and doing what is best for the team. If doing that results in Stockton winning the Heisman then so be it, but they aren't going to go to great lengths to ensure that he does win it.
Whether Smart wants to admit it or not though, he knows he has a quarterback playing at a high enough level to win the Heisman Trophy. Unfortunately it may be too little too late as a few other players have much better odds at this point to win the Heisman, but Stockton deserves to be in the conversation and has a great case to be invited to the ceremony later this year.
But Smart is focused on the team, and it's more than likely that Stockton is as well. But Georgia fans would love nothing more than to see Stockton continue to compete for this award, and if he keeps playing at the level he has been these last few weeks then he will continue to be in the conversation.