Kirby Smart has still refused to name a starting quarterback for Georgia's upcoming season, but it is becoming more and more clear that Gunner Stockton will be trotting out with the offense on Aug. 30 against Marshall.
Even though Smart hasn't named Stockton his starter, he did share with the media on Tuesday the three expectations he has for him this season.
"Make good decisions, continue to develop, understanding situational football... Playing quarterback is, it's like being a computer," Smart shared via 247sports.com. "He's got a million things going on at once. And he's gotten better and better at handling those things, and that's what I want to see him do when he gets the opportunity."
Kirby Smart details 3 key areas Gunner Stockton needs to improve on
Smart wants Stockton to keep things simple this season. He wants him to make good decisions, continue to develop both on the field as a player and off the field as a leader, and understand what situations Georgia finds themselves in this season and what they should do as a result of that. This all seems very elementary, but these are the key things any first time starting quarterback needs to master before they can take the next step in their career.
But why are Smart's expectations so simple for Stockton this season? Smart likely knows that Stockton doesn't need to be a superhero for Georgia this season. The rest of the team around him is good enough to win championships, so Smart needs Stockton to play within himself and not try to do too much, because that is when he could start getting into some trouble.
It's also worth mentioning that even though Smart didn't say Stockton is their starter in this quote, it is very apparent he will be based on the tone and way Smart talked about him on Tuesday.
In just a few short days Georgia fans will get to see Stockton take the field at Sanford Stadium and play meaningful minutes for the first time in his career. And as long as Stockton excels at these three things Smart mentioned, it should be smooth sailing for him against Marshall.