Gunner Stockton is all set to take the reins at Athens as the next guy in the house, but there are piles of doubt that blur the vision even of an outright Dawg optimistic. Last season Georgia has seen enough downfall in the offensive line. Thanks to the heavy interception-filled games by Carson Beck and the repeated dodge against the big teams. Even though Beck got better and tried to flip the script shortly, during the SEC championship game against Texas, he fell flat with a season-ending throwing arm injury, creating room for Stockton to rise and shine, particularly during the Sugar Bowl. But lately, everything doesn’t look that sold about the next Georgia quarterback. Will Kirby Smart take a U-turn from here, choosing an alternative?

Stockton, as a die-hard UGA fan, has been patiently waiting for his turn to play at the starting gig; he has his, as well. Sure, he has shown flashes of promise while running through Texas’ run defense for first down during the conference championship game but thrusting into the huge spotlight with limited experience is ticking the doubt instinct among the majority of the Georgia faithful. But it’s not the biggest concern. The growing competition in Smart’s QB room is.

Amidst the ongoing offensive struggles, a chaotic quarterback position has further added layers to the complications. The faces of the battle are two highly talented potential signal-callers—Gunner Stockton and Ryan Puglisi—the program is palpably grappling with indecision. But they need to fix it asap. The decision between these two quarterbacks, after all, will serve as a crucial move in ensuring the long-term potential and direction of a championship-aspirant franchise. The spring practice observation can be a key parameter here, helping Kirby Smart make his call. Divulging on that, ON3 journalist JD PicKell said, ‘‘Ryan Puglisi, right now, through three spring practices, there’s not a lot to go on from what I have heard Gunner Stockton looked good in one of the more recent practices pushing the ball downfield as a group,”

Despite the overall QB struggle in the first week of the Spring kick-off, PicKell added, ”They responded in a positive manner this is really important now for us all to be dialed into dogs HQ because I think this job is going to be won during the scrimmages now whether that’s during spring practice or fall Camp.” As per the minute projection of another insider, Legge, Stockton visibly suffered in the deep balls; they were mostly off-target, either falling too far or the throws were too short. Is it the break Ryan Puglisi is waiting for? Well, that’s subject to much longer and deeper scrutiny, but Gunner will have to work to his bone to win the job for sure.

The 15 practices in spring are an opportunity for the quarterback to build some chemistry and cohesion with their supporting cast. As a first-time starter, Gunner Stockton sure needs to get on the same page as his receivers. But if he continues to run under the current, it might be a wasted opportunity, especially given Puglisi is slyly lurking behind for one close mishap.

”I think you win jobs at Georgia, when you spot the ball, you go 11 on 11 and your quarterbacks have to make plays
when the fire is going like, I think when you talk about Georgia 2 overall this is not a situation where Gunner Stockton is just going to be handed the job,” PicKell took a clear stand, moving past Stockton’s proven arm talent and his deep tie with the football, ”I understand he has a leg up because of the experience and all those things but Ryan Puglisi, I believe, will have a very real shot to go win this job.”

On the top, probably, the Mike Bobo conundrum will remain another factor in Georgia’s potential hazards regardless of who nails the starting gig.

Mike Bobo gets a vote of confidence from Kirby Smart

The most controversial offensive coordinator at Athens didn’t get any ultimatum for his head coach despite garnering huge backlash from the community; rather, he got a reward on pen and paper. His sluggish play call, especially during that Notre Dame game, remained a factor in the Dawg’s downfall in the season. Paul Finebaum didn’t hesitate to the gun on his shoulder while calling out Smart for being unnecessarily patient with his OC.

But Smart has his own thing. Be it Carson Beck or Mike Bobo, the Georgia head coach has always been known for fiercely protecting his people at whatever cost. He gave Bobo a new contract extension that will tie him up with the program through 2026 with a highest $1.6 million cap.

You may call it a foolish stance, but for Smart, it’s the token of his unwavering confidence in his weapons. I’ve got a lot of confidence in this organization, the foundation we’ve built,” Smart said. “I’ve got the best staff in the country, and I have no doubt about that.. got one of the most experienced SEC staff there is, and to be honest with you, there’s a lot of confidence in that, and I have a lot of confidence in it.”

We will see if Bobo gets his back in the next season, justifying the faith, whether with or without his old trainee Stockton under the center.