UGA Football Coach Kirby Smart Talk About Gunner Stockton And Ryan Puglisi
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ATHENS - We’re a full week into spring practice for the 2025 Georgia Bulldogs and many are wondering if head coach Kirby Smart has a quarterback battle on his hands.
It seems highly unlikely that second-year gunslinger Ryan Puglisi will overtake fourth-year veteran and returning starter Gunner Stockton, but it’s still a position battle to keep an eye on.
Kirby Smart had a lot to say about both quarterbacks recently with an interview with Atlanta sports radio station 92.9 the game.
While insiders are extremely high on Puglisi, Smart made a point to let everyone know that his talented backup still has a ways to go.
“He does have a long way to go as far as learning exactly what we’re asking him to do”, Smart said. “The command of the offense. The volume of the offense. He’s getting better at all those things.”
However, there’s a lot that Smart clearly likes about Puglisi and what he brings to the table.
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“He’s a competitor”, Smart added. “He never flinched during the recruiting process. Those have been some of the best guys that we’ve recruited. The guys that didn’t care who came in with him. He had a passion and energy about Georgia and I’ve seen his growth and development since he’s been here. He’s a really good baseball player. He’s got arm talent and size. Great high school tape. He really flashed on the scout team and he’s made some really good throw on the run.”
While there’s a lot to like about Puglisi, it’s clear this is Stockton’s job to lose. He helped lead the Bulldogs to a come-from-behind SEC Championship victory, and even in a loss, he played his butt off against Notre Dame with very little help around him.
Stockton has the respect of his teammates, a live arm, and can make plays with his legs. More importantly, he’s entering his fourth season on the team. He knows the playbook, understands his role, and has the trust of the coaching staff.
“Gunner is very different from Carson”, Smart said. He’s different from Stetson and Jake (Fromm) and JT (Daniels). He’s his own person. He’s got a quiet confidence about him. That’s the way Nick Chubb was. You had to pull it out of Nick Chubb. That’s the way it is with Gunner. He is who he is. He listens all the time. He’s taking notes, he’s wise, and he’s a great kid.”
“He's a tremendous leader”, Smart said of Gunner at the beginning of spring practice. “But that's nothing I didn't already know. He's done everything right since he's been here. That's really kind of what he embodies. He's a tough kid that loves football, that loves his teammates. You're not going to get a lot of rah-rah out of Gunner. I feel like that's his role. 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. He's got a lot of knowledge of our system, and I think that kind of resonates with the other players. They rally around Gunner because they have a lot of respect for him.”
Respect is key. Leadership is important. Being smart with the football is critical. But at the end of the day, you still have to be able to make big throws, be accurate, and play the position correctly. Taking what the defense gives them, keeping the ball out of harms way, all while being able to attack defenses down the field.
Gunner Stockton is is capable of leading the Bulldogs to a championship. But first, he’ll have to hold off an extremely talented Ryan Puglisi. It won’t be easy, but that’s the expectation.