Paul Finebaum 'underwhelmed' by Gunner Stockton as Georgia's starting QB in 2025

Georgia moved on from Carson Beck long before its two-year starting quarterback entered the NCAA Transfer Portal and landed at Miami back in January. In fact, from the start of the second half of the 2024 SEC Championship game last December, the Bulldogs were all-in on Gunner Stockton as their QB1.

Of course, not everyone is exactly thrilled by the thought of the redshirt junior quarterback taking over Georgia’s offense in 2025, especially given how Stockton fared in last year’s Sugar Bowl loss to eventualy national runner-up Notre Dame.

SEC Network host Paul Finebaum revealed some serious trepedation about Stockton as UGA’s QB1 during a “Fine/Not Fine” segment Tuesday afternoon on ESPN’s SportsCenter.

“I’d say that’s a big ‘not fine.’ I know the team coalesced around him after the SEC Championship game, but I was underwhelmed by what I saw from Gunner Stockton in the Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame,” Finebaum said Tuesday from the Sandestin Hilton at SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Fla. “Kirby Smart has been steadfast in his support (for Stockton, but) he really doesn’t have another option until next year when the top recruit in the country comes in. So I’m not happy with what I see from the ‘Dawgs.”

Making his first-career start in the Sugar Bowl national quarterfinal against the Fighting Irish, Stockton threw for a career-high 234 yards on 62.5-percent passing but accounted for just one touchdown as Georgia’s season-long issues on offense hit a head in New Orleans. Stockton also came on in relief of an injured Beck in the second half of the SEC Championship game against Texas, but only managed 79 total yards and an interception on 12-of-16 passing while helping the Bulldogs to a comeback victory in overtime.

Of course, two games doesn’t make a career, especially given the circumstances surrounding those particular games. But it certainly hasn’t done much to quell concerns from Georgia fans — and SEC Network commentators — about the beleagured Bulldogs offense.

Zachariah Branch on Gunner Stockton impressions: ‘I knew he was a dog’

Zachariah Branch is pretty excited to play with new Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton this season. He knew he was “a dog.”

So if these two can get on the same page, the Bulldogs offense could have some explosions this coming fall. Branch was a star at USC as a return man and wide receiver, being one of the fastest guys on the field at any time.

If there’s something that the Georgia offense wants in 2025, it’s to be dynamic. Perhaps Branch and Stockton can fulfill that role.

“I knew he was a dog since we, you know, started off in the workouts,” Branch said. “I mean, I can tell easily from, you know, the work ethic and how you prepare yourself to go out there and be the best version of yourself. I can definitely tell that, he was really trying to compete with every rep. When we’re doing conditioning, he’s really trying to win, trying to push himself to be the best version of himself. 

“And that’s what I like to surround myself around, so you know me and Gunner we clicked off pretty early, got a chance to be on the same page, ran some routes on our own time just to get that chemistry down and you know he’s been a real help for me and this offense as well.”

— On3’s Nick Kosko contributed to this report.