Once the game was out of reach on Saturday, the Georgia Bulldogs called Ryan Puglisi's number once again to relieve starting quarterback Gunner Stockton. Georgia won easily over the Kentucky Wildcats 35-14, covering the spread for the first time in ages! Pulisi got an extended look in yet another blowout win for Georgia. While he does look like a future SEC starter, he is not ready yet...
On the afternoon, Puglisi completed 3-of-4 passes for 49 yards and an interception. He also had two carries for two yards. While he can certainly spin it, some of his in-game decisions are not going to cut it when a game is on the line. He may be trying to make the most out of his opportunities with Georgia up big late, but it is not how one goes about earning the trust of a defensive-minded coach.
While Kirby Smart has always emphasized the importance of having a good quarterback, he is a former safety and defensive coordinator at heart. He coaches the game of football with a ton of passion, as it was his job Between the Hedges to blow something up and make something happen in the early 1990s. That works on defense, but when you force things on offense, it can be problematic.
With Stockton firmly the starter this season, Puglisi may have to wait until 2027 to get his turn here...
Ryan Puglisi has talent, but he needs more refinement at quarterback
Admittedly, there may be challenges going with the second-teamers against a conference opponent that is already getting embarrassed. Nobody likes being embarrassed, so even in defeat, they still give their all. Puglisi may have been a blue-chip prospect coming out of high school, but SEC competition is far different than that of a New England prep school. It just means more, as they say...
In a way, Puglisi can learn from Stockton in how to be a good backup and a great teammate while biding your time. He learned that from Carson Beck, who learned that from Stetson Bennett IV. All four quarterbacks had different paths coming to and at Georgia. It should be noted that Beck was the only one of the four who competed against higher level of competition when he was in high school.
Stockton may have lit the high school football world on fire, but Rabun County is not the same as playing in Gwinnett. Puglisi will have a ton of talent around him, just like every quarterback who plays at Georgia. However, the things that he used to be able to do in Connecticut prep school are not always going to fly in SEC play. Kentucky may struggle vs. Georgia, but they will always play defense.
Puglisi is looking like a quarterback Georgia may need to protect from hitting the portal for some NIL.