Everything Gunner Stockton Said After UGA Football's 63-3 Win Over Tennessee State
ATHENS - Everything UGA Football QB Gunner Stockton said after the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs smashed Tennessee State 63-3.
Q: All right, very impressive offensive performance just from the team overall, especially in the first quarter, 28 points. Just how are you feeling in this game, and what'd you see from your offense?
GUNNER: We came out and executed really well. There's still stuff to clean up, but I thought we, um, you know, communicated well, and, um, and just played, played pretty hard. But there's definitely stuff we need to clean up.
Q: Three touchdowns for number three, Nate Frazier. What was it like to see him have that type of performance today?
GUNNER: Oh, it was awesome.
Nate, he's going to run the ball hard no matter what. He’s a great running back, and he's a great teammate. Just to see the joy that everybody has and just to see him have success is awesome.
Q: Was there any game plan for you about, like, how much you would play?
Were you a little bit surprised that they took you out before the first half ended?
GUNNER: Not really. It's just go out and play ball - just see whatever happens, happens. I got to be ready to go play whenever, so.
Q: Can you kind of walk through that first touchdown to Elias? It was his first career touchdown there at Georgia.
How excited were you, for you to see him get that touchdown? Oh my gosh, it was awesome.
GUNNER: Elias, he's been putting in a lot of work. Like I said, a bunch of guys got to play today, and it's pretty neat just to see the love that everybody has just the happiness that everybody has for their teammates.
Q: What was it like out there? They said it was the hottest game ever played at UGA. Like, what was it like as a player being in that condition?
GUNNER: It was... it was pretty warm. I know our fans were great coming out and watching us. But it was, it was a great atmosphere and a great home game.
Q: What excites you the most about this year's offense?
GUNNER: I think the fact of getting ready. We put in work spring, summer, everything - just going into the daily week of getting ready for a team and just all the work we've put in. We have guys that are explosive.
Jaden Reed - he run he had today was unbelievable. The receivers, running backs, everybody. So if we just do our job and do what we're told we'll be all right.
Q: What was the big thing that you maybe worked on this off-season that you maybe saw translate super well here in this first game?
GUNNER: This off-season, working on pocket movement, taking what I need and knowing when to run or extend plays and doing stuff like that. I feel like we've gotten a little bit better at that, and just keeping on.
Q: What can you learn about your team when you're playing in a game like this when they're, you're ahead so much, and then also when then you're sitting on the sidelines watching it? What can you learn about your offense from this performance?
GUNNER: I think that we have a bunch of guys that can play winning football. We have a lot of depth, and that's a plus for a team. When you have that, it's a great thing.
Q: Talyn Taylor - How nice was it to see him go out there and make plays and get, establish some confidence for him?
GUNNER: Talyn’s a great guy; great teammate and obviously a great player. When he gets the ball in his hands he's going do something special.
Just to see all the work he's put in as well, and, uh, just to see him have success is amazing.
Q: Georgia Tech transfer, Central Georgia native Isaiah Canyon out there for the first time in the red and black today. What did you see from him and, and his experience out there with Georgia?
GUNNER: Yeah, it was awesome.
When Isaiah has it he's explosive. Um, you know, he's, he's really fast and he can go get the ball. So I told him, I was like: "I hope this first home game; I hope it met up to your expectations." He's a great player; great teammate.
Q: Gunner, what was your biggest takeaway from the overall offensive performance today?
GUNNER: We executed well. Definitely there's stuff we need to clean up. But I think everybody did their job and came out here and started fast. At the end of the day I felt like we played a bunch of guys, and that's a great thing.
Q: What was it like seeing Nate get off to such a fast start?
GUNNER: Yeah, it was a great, great first impression. He did a great job, and all the work he's done has shown off.
Q: You got to see three of your backups play today. How how important are these kind of games for their development, and what did you see from all, each of them today?
GUNNER: Oh, it was awesome. I think we have one of the best quarterback rooms in the country.
Not only players, but just the people - who they are. It makes the room fun to go into every day. They all came out and played really good. It was fun, too. Because I was in their shoes not too long ago, so I know how it feels to stay there, get ready thinking you're gonna play.
They all did great and they all played winning football.
Q: What makes Kaiden Prothro not seem like a freshman? What does he do that, that... Like, freshman don't do?
GUNNER: I'd probably say his size. He's pretty big. The way he made the guy miss today is, is awesome. With just making a guy miss and go and score was amazing.
Q: You were talking about the tightness of this team. How did you feel that today?
GUNNER: There was a lot of celebration when the third- and fourth-string guys (I don't know how to describe them) scored tonight. I think it boils down... Coach Smart, he says: “Mudita”. It means find joy in others' success.
For me it was seeing Duncan Carpenter on defense going out and making a play. I get to see Duncan every week on scout team and the work he puts in. He takes more reps than anybody and that's pretty neat for him to have the opportunity to go out there and play in Sanford Stadium.
I's a great opportunity.
Q: Gunner, how would you assess kind of how the tight ends were used today, and is that kind of the ideal sort of formula for the tight ends to be used in that way this year?
GUNNER: I'd say whatever way. Win the ballgame. They did a great job today. They're physical and can go run great routes, and they can do everything. I thought they did a great job today.
Q: 600-plus yards of offense in this opener. I know the opener can kind of be sluggish sometimes. was there a mindset shift, something you guys talked about in the lead-up to this game to make sure those kind of lapses don't happen in a season opener like this?
GUNNER: Anytime you have the opportunity to come out here and play, your mindset should always be you want to start fast and do everything.
But I thought whenever you get a chance, you aren't, you aren't half anything. We did a good job executing today, and definitely some stuff to clean up, but we did a good job.
Q: Nate Frazier, four carries, three touchdowns. How important is Nate Frazier gonna be to this offense this year?
GUNNER: He had a great day and ran the ball hard. I'm really excited to see where, where we can go.
Q: What about Jaden Reddell? All we've talked about or we've heard is he's had a big camp, and then today he gets technically two touchdowns. They took one back. Well, I guess not technically, but just talk about his progression and what you've seen from him, and just how excited you were to see him get that touchdown.
GUNNER: He is a freak. The one that got called back was insane. Just seeing all the work he's put in as well - it's really neat to see it all pay off. Definitely it was a great start. It was a good first impression.
Q: He's obviously a guy that's been here like you. He's waited his turn. Just kind of talk about that and what you've seen or how, how you value that here at Georgia.
GUNNER: In today's day and age, it's tough to stay and stick it, and he's done it. He’s worked; put the time in. It definitely shows all his work he's put in.
Q: Have you basically seen what you saw today in practice the whole time? I mean, did you see... Were you surprised by anything?
GUNNER: Um, I mean, we really... They had a new, uh, defense coordinator, um, so you really sometimes you never really know.
Q: I'm talking about your teammates.
GUNNER: Not too much. Everybody did a good job and played hard. It was good to see everybody do good, do good.
Q: You had a bunch of your top pass catchers last year depart. What do you make of, uh, Taylor and Elias, some of the young guys that kind of stepped up today and, and you're gonna have to count on all year?
GUNNER: Yeah, they did a good job. It was a good first impression. Awesome. Thanks again. Thank you.
