Kirby Smart praises Gunner Stockton, how he handled being thrust into role in relief of Carson Beck

Last season, Gunner Stockton was shoved into the limelight after Georgia starting quarterback Carson Beck suffered an injury on the final play of the first half of the SEC Championship. Before then, Stockton had only made two appearances in the 2024 campaign — against Tennessee Tech and UMass.

Now, he was staring down a powerhouse Texas defense with Georgia’s College Football Playoff hopes on the line. Although many lesser sophomore quarterbacks would’ve folded under the pressure, Stockton delivered, and Kirby Smart hasn’t forgotten.

“You just don’t ever know when your number is going to be called,” Smart said at the 2025 SEC Kickoff. “The one thing that I really appreciate about Gunner, and most quarterbacks, is he prepared every game as if he was the starter. And people can say that and say this, coach speak, but he actually did it. He went in, watched extra tape, and he knew that, at any point in time, he could be called on that to go in the game and play.

“And, he didn’t go in a normal environment — you know, we got a big lead, maybe you’re beating an opponent — he went in against a top defense in the country, in one of the biggest games of the season, and performed well for a guy that had not gotten a lot of reps as the one. So I thought he handled that moment well, and he told a lot of our young players that you got to be prepared and ready.”

Stockton completed 12-of-his-16 pass attempts for 71 yards en route to a 22-19 win over the Longhorns in overtime. In turn, Georgia received a top-four seed and a bye in the CFP.

Beck’s injury was ultimately season-ending and Stockton was Georgia’s starter in the CFP quarterfinals against Notre Dame. The Bulldogs fell 23-10, but Stockton showed promising flashes throughout the game. He completed 20-of-32 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown against the Fighting Irish.

In the 2025 campaign, Gunner Stockton is expected to be Georgia’s full-time starter behind center for the first time in his career. While he might not boast the same experience as some of the top quarterbacks around the country, he’s proven he’s not afraid of a challenge.

“He’s a tremendous leader, but that’s nothing I didn’t already know,” Smart said of Stockton in the spring. “He’s done everything right since he’s been here. … He earns people’s respect by how he works and how he carries himself. He’s got a tremendous amount of confidence in his ability.”